Secrets
by queenofhunter93
Summary: Reika is a mystery to everyone. No one knows her surname, where she comes from, or whether she has family or not. All that people know is that she bears an uncanny resemblance to the only survivor of the Uchiha clan. Disclaimer: Kishimoto Masashi-sensei owns NARUTO, not me.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is my very first Naruto fanfic, and I don't have a lot of hopes that people will actually like it. I initially wrote it just for the hell of it, just for my own personal amusement, but when I told my friends about it, they told me they can't wait for it to be published, so here we are. I've actually written up to the Chuunin Exam arc, and I've written bits and pieces after that, so I'll try to update regularly, like bi-weekly, while I continue to write it down. Nevertheless, enjoy~  
**

* * *

Reika sighs as she looks around the classroom from beside Uchiha Sasuke. Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura are _still_ arguing over who would sit beside Sasuke, and it irritates her. Why can't they get the hint that he's not interested? At all?

It is the Genin orientation day, and Iruka will announce their teams before lunch time. Two days ago was the graduation exams, and for Reika, it was easy. _Too_ easy. Why would you be tested on making clones for graduation exams? It's not like you can survive in the real world with just _Bunshin no Jutsu_ (Clone Jutsu).

"Reika! Stop hogging Sasuke-kun! Move! That's _my_ seat!" Ino screeches from Sasuke's right, even though everyone knows that one seat beside Sasuke will only be occupied by Reika and no one else. Even though Reika wants to move, she won't because she knows Sasuke doesn't want her to move.

Reika rolls her eyes and runs a hand through her mid-neck-length uneven black hair, a habit she does whenever she needs to calm herself down. Reika sighs in irritation and leans back on her chair, letting her head fall onto the desk behind her. Her onyx eyes find the brown eyes of her best friend, and she gives him a small wave. Nara Shikamaru replies her wave with one of his own with a yawn. She also waves at Akimichi Chouji, who sits beside Shikamaru as usual.

Shikamaru is the perfect friend for Reika. He's kind and quiet, not to mention an amazing shogi partner. Even though she prefers crossword puzzles over any other games, she enjoys a good shogi game with a smart partner like Shikamaru. She vows to defeat Shikamaru at least 15 times before she dares to challenge Nara Shikaku to a game of shogi. So far, she has won 6 games against Shikamaru. She made him swear not to take it easy on her, so she knows that he's always serious whenever they play.

Suddenly, the girls scream. Reika raises an eyebrow and turns around, only to find her seat mate locking lips with Uzumaki Naruto. Reika's eyes widen and she bends over to conceal her giggles. When Sasuke glares at her, Reika sits back up and shakes her head. She can feel the glare coming from the girls. She looks over the table to find Naruto lying down on the floor. The girls must've been done with him.

Reika is a mystery to everyone. No one knows her surname, where she comes from, or whether she has family or not. She doesn't really show her emotions, so people don't know what she's thinking all the time. All that people know is that she bears an uncanny resemblance to the only survivor of the Uchiha clan, with the dark hair and onyx eyes, not to mention the smirk. People swear that they look identical when they smirk. People ask them all the time whether they're related or not, but they always refute those claims and say that their resemblance is only a coincidence.

Another thing that people know – and Sasuke's fan girls hate – is that Reika is pretty much the only girl who doesn't chase Sasuke around (excluding Hinata), thus becoming the only girl Uchiha Sasuke can tolerate and communicate on a normal basis. She is also the only girl he calls by her name instead of "hey" or "you". Even though they claim that there's nothing between them, most villagers would find them attached at the hip most of the time. When they're not together, people would find Reika with Shikamaru and Chouji, or just Shikamaru.

Shortly after the accidental kiss, Iruka comes through the door and starts a speech about how proud he is of everyone. His sight mainly focuses on Naruto, though, who sits at the end of her table beside Sakura, beside Sasuke. Reika wonders when that happened. She peeks at her back and finds Ino fuming from the seat right behind Sasuke, definitely annoyed over her loss.

"…from here on, you'll be in a squad of three and carry out your missions under your Jounin sensei. But because we have an uneven number of graduates this time around, two teams will be a four-nin squad instead of the usual three. The groups have been determined so that the strength of the groups will be balanced. Now for the assignments!"

 _Three or four-nin squad, huh? Well, as long as I'm with him, I'll be fine,_ Reika thinks as Iruka calls out names.

"Team 7, Uzumaki Naruto… Haruno Sakura…"

"Yes!"

Reika looks to her right and sees Naruto fist-bumping and Sakura hanging her head.

"…Uchiha Sasuke…"

Naruto and Sakura switch reactions and Sasuke just looks forward, not bothered by anything.

"…and this is one of the teams that will have four-nin in it. The last addition is Reika."

She can feel the glare from every girl in her class, but all she can see is Sasuke, looking at her with genuine happiness in his eyes, mirrored by her identical ones. He may not be smiling, but Reika knows that he's just as relieved as she is. _I'll be fine_ , she thinks to herself.

xXx

Reika frowns as she walks through the halls of the Academy. She tried to get Naruto and Sakura to eat with her, knowing that Sasuke will go to their usual spot ahead of her, but they ignored her, to her annoyance. But when she reaches their usual spot, Sasuke isn't there. Which is why she is walking around the building, trying to find him.

She closes her eyes and two seconds later, opens them in shock, and then she runs towards a warehouse behind the Academy. She sighs and shakes her head when she finds the great Uchiha Sasuke, tied up and gagged.

"Do you need help?" Reika asks, half-mocking and half-serious. Sasuke glares at her. She laughs lightly and starts to rip the tape that shuts his mouth, "You do know that you can use _Nawanuke no Jutsu_ (Rope Escape Jutsu), right?"

That only deepens his glare, and this time Reika laughs out loud. She doesn't know that Sasuke really likes it when she laughs like this, because she only does it in front of him. She waits until Sasuke is done with his escape jutsu before asking, "Who did this to you?"

"…Naruto."

" _Naruto_? As in Uzumaki Naruto, the dude you always call _dead-last_?" Reika's laughter continues, if not even louder. As much as he likes her laugh, he still gets irritated when he's the one she's laughing at.

"He used _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_ (Shadow Clone Jutsu)."

Reika stops laughing and looks at Sasuke in shock. Someone who failed to graduate because of a simple _Bunshin no Jutsu_ can actually do _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_? And defeat Sasuke in the process? Reika smiles slightly with a finger on her chin. _Uzumaki Naruto, huh? Things might get interesting from here on out_.

"Just help me find him."

"Fine, fine."

They walk around the Academy and find Sakura outside, who lights up at the sight of Sasuke and ignores Reika completely.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you're such a shy bad boy! Are you prepared? I'm raring to go!"

Reika raises her eyebrows and turns to look at Sasuke as they continue walking towards the Academy. He shakes his head to signal that he doesn't know what she's talking about.

"W-Wait, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke comes to a stop and Reika follows.

"Where's Naruto?" Sasuke asks her shortly. Reika knows that he wants to be in Sakura's company as much as she does, which is not at all.

Sakura smiles, but Reika can tell that she's a little bit annoyed, "Oh, there you go, changing the subject again… just leave Naruto alone! All he does is pick fights with you! It's because he wasn't raised right! You know, he doesn't have any parents, right?"

Reika's right hand twitches. How dare she talk about parents to Sasuke, not to mention sounding all high and mighty like that? Reika looks at Sasuke, more worried about him, even though what she is saying also applies to her.

"He always selfishly does whatever he wants! _My_ parents would get mad at me if I did something like that! It's so nice to be alone! There are no parents to nag you if it's just you alone, so his selfishness comes out at various times!"

Reika grows even more uneasy as Sasuke's face darkens even more as Sakura continues to blab. Until finally Sasuke opens his mouth.

"That loneliness… it's something worse than getting scolded by parents. And…"

"W-What are you talking about…?"

"Uh-oh…" Reika says under her breath.

"…you annoy me," Sasuke finishes. Reika sighs. Reika can see how distraught Sakura is by Sasuke's words. She knows that Sasuke could use a little lesson on people skills, but in his defense, Reika feels that Sakura deserves that. After saying what he has to say, Sasuke continues his walk towards the Academy building.

"For someone who claims to like Sasuke-kun very much, you seem to not know anything about him," Reika says to Sakura with a glare as she runs after Sasuke. She walks along a corridor and almost yelps when she is being pulled inside their empty classroom.

"Wha–" Reika's eyes widen when she is caught in someone's arms. A warm hand falls over the back of her head and she relaxes. She returns the embrace. She doesn't say anything, but she knows that they understand.

"Thank you, Reika-hime."


	2. Chapter 2

After being left behind in their classroom, Reika decides to just eat her lunch alone in the empty classroom. It was ideal, since it's noise-free and she can be alone. Don't get her wrong; she likes Sasuke or Shikamaru or even Chouji's company, but she needs her time alone. Not long after lunch time is done, one by one the teams disperse with their respective Jounin sensei, until Team 7 is the only one left.

"He's late…" Naruto says in exasperation. Reika agrees. It's been two hours since they are left in the classroom. She decides to just fold her arms on top of her table and lie her head down on her folded arms. She closes her eyes and tries to tune out Naruto and Sakura's voices.

"Wait! What are you doing, Naruto?!"

Reika groans and lifts up her head, giving up on sleep to see Naruto putting a blackboard eraser between the top of the sliding door. Classic prank.

"Serves him right for being late!" Naruto says as he looks at his prank as if it's his masterpiece.

"A Jounin wouldn't get caught in such a weak booby trap," Sasuke says.

"That's right. You're such an idiot…"

Before Sakura can finish her sentence, a masked tall man dressed in standard Jounin outfit with gravity defying silver hair and hitai-ate covering his left eye slides the door open. And just like that, Naruto's prank actually works.

Reika looks on with eyes wide. _Is he really a Jounin?_ Reika thinks. Naruto is laughing loudly and Sakura is apologizing at the person who seems to be their sensei. Reika knows better, though; she knows that Sakura is just as amused as Naruto. Reika also knows that Sasuke is thinking the same thing as she does.

"Hmm… how shall I put this? My first impression of you guys would be… well, I hate you."

Reika rolls her eyes at that.

xXx

Team 7 follows their Jounin sensei up to the roof. Naruto sits on the far left, Reika right beside him, followed by Sasuke, and Sakura on the other end.

"Let's see… first off, let me have you guys introduce yourselves."

"…what should we say?" Sakura asks.

"Your likes, dislikes, your future dream, hobbies, things like that!" their sensei says as he leans on the railings with his arms crossed.

"Hey, hey! Before that, please tell us about yourself!" Naruto says.

"Me? My name's Hatake Kakashi. I don't feel like telling you guys about my likes and dislikes. I've never really thought about my future dream… as for my hobbies, I have many."

"In the end, all we get is his name," Sakura whispers to her teammates. Reika has to agree. Their sensei is… rather unique, to put it lightly.

"Next is you guys. Let's start with you, orange boy."

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto! I like cup ramen, but what I like even more is the ramen from Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei treats me to. What I dislike is the three-minute wait after pouring hot water in the instant ramen. My hobby is eating and comparing different types of cup ramen! And my future dream is to surpass the Hokage! And so I'm going to get the entire village to acknowledge my existence!" Naruto says as he plays with his hitai-ate.

Reika closes her eyes and listens to his introduction. She feels strangely worried about the fact that he talks a lot about ramen, and wonders if he's been eating something more nutritious than ramen. She opens her eyes and raises her eyebrows when he said that he wanted to surpass the Hokage. _It'll be a million years too early with your skills now, Naruto_ , Reika thinks.

"Okay, next. You, pinky."

"I'm Haruno Sakura. What I like… I mean, _who_ I like is…"

Reika closes her eyes again and mentally sighs as Sakura introduces herself, or more likely, announcing to the world her 'love' for Sasuke.

"And, my hobby is, I mean… my future dream is…"

And then she squeals and Reika squeezes her eyes shut as she grimaces at the sound. _Good god, she's loud_.

"And? What about your dislikes?" Kakashi asks her.

"Naruto and Reika!"

Reika can tell that Naruto is downtrodden over her words, but Reika can care less. _Feeling's mutual_ , Reika thinks.

"Next, the other girl."

Naruto and Sakura give Reika their full attention. As much as she'd like to deny it, Sakura is very curious about her female teammate. She only knows that Reika is definitely close to Sasuke, but she doesn't seem to have a romantic interest in him. Sakura has never really seen her do anything special; she just seems like a very tired looking girl to Sakura, judging from her deep bags under her eyes.

Naruto knows very little of his teammate. He knows that Reika looks a lot like Sasuke and she gives Sasuke a different kind of attention than his other fangirls, so Naruto knows that she's not just another Sasuke fangirl. Reika is not really close to anyone except for Sasuke and Shikamaru. According to Shikamaru, she's kind and very smart, but she's kind of detached. Shikamaru told him about a 'certain darkness' in her eyes, but Naruto can't really see it. _Is it because of the bags under her eyes? Her eyes_ are _dark…_

"I'm Reika. I like silence. I dislike noises in general. My hobby is playing crossword puzzles and reading. My dream… no, my _goal_ is to find a certain someone and ask him about the truth behind the death of someone precious to me while protecting my brother," Reika says with a straight face, looking straight into Kakashi's eye. She notices that his eye widens a little bit, but she ignores it.

Naruto and Sakura look at her with wide eyes. They are shocked about the fact that she discloses more information in a couple of seconds than she does in the few years they have known her. _She has a_ _ **brother**_ _?!_ Naruto and Sakura think.

"And lastly…"

"My name's… Uchiha Sasuke. I have lots of dislikes, but no likes in particular. And… I don't feel like summing up my ambition as just a dream, but I do have an ambition: to restore my clan and without fail, kill a certain man."

Reika looks down as Sasuke introduces himself. The silence that comes after he finishes his introduction is deafening, no matter how much she claims to like silence. She can tell that Naruto and Sakura are both looking at Sasuke.

"Good! The four of you are very distinctive and interesting! We'll have a mission tomorrow!" Kakashi says.

"Yes, sir! What kind of mission?" Naruto asks excitedly.

"First, we'll do what we can do with just five people."

"What is it? What is it? What is it?" Naruto asks rapidly.

"A survival exercise."

"Why are we doing an exercise even though this is supposed to be a mission? We've had more than our share of exercises in the Academy!" Sakura protests.

"This is no simple exercise," Kakashi refutes.

"T-Then what kind of exercise is it?"

To their surprise, and Reika's horror, Kakashi only laughs.

"What's so funny, sensei?" Sakura asks, clearly annoyed by their sensei.

Kakashi continues to laugh, until he composes himself enough to say, "No, well, if I tell you, I know you'll be discouraged."

"Huh?"

"Of the twenty-nine graduates, only ten will be recognized as Genins. The remaining nineteen will be sent back to the Academy. In other words, this exercise is an extremely difficult test with a failure rate of 66% or higher."

Reika knows that everyone is shocked, even though they either try to hide it or show it openly. Reika sighs in annoyance. _I knew that graduation test was too easy_.

"See, see? You got discouraged!" Kakashi says in a mocking tone. Reika is starting to dislike her sensei.

"That's crazy! Then what was that graduation test for?!" Naruto protests.

"Oh, that. It was just to select those who have the potential of becoming Genin."

"Whaaaaat?!" Naruto exclaims.

"Well, that's the way it is. I'll be determining whether you pass or fail. Bring your complete set of Ninja tools! We meet at five in the morning!"

Reika looks to her left and sees that Naruto is shaking. She frowns. Does he really have no confidence over his own skills? He can make shadow clones, for heaven's sakes; Reika thinks that he should be fine. Reika can care less about Sakura, so then she turns to her right to find Sasuke's clasped hand shaking. He turns to her and his onyx eyes meet her identical ones, and then the shaking stops.

"Okay! You're dismissed. Oh… and don't eat breakfast unless you want to see it coming back up."

Reika's eyes widen for the umpteenth time that day. She can tell that the exercise-slash-exam is going to be really tough.

xXx

"I'm home."

"Welcome home, nii-san. Go and get changed. Dinner's almost ready."

Reika puts two bowls with rice followed with two bowls with miso soup, two plates of grilled fish, and one bowl of grilled tomatoes. She goes back into the kitchen to start making tea when her brother – her _twin brother_ – steps into their dining-slash-living room. When Reika comes back with a pot of tea in one hand and two cups on the other, Sasuke is already sitting in front of one of the bowls.

"I told you that you don't have to wait for me to start eating, nii-san."

"And I told you that I'll always wait for you, Reika-hime. Now sit; I'm hungry."

Reika grumbles about 'why don't you eat first if you're hungry' but she doesn't push the topic. She puts the pot and a cup each in front of her and Sasuke, and then they cup their hands together and say "Itadakimasu" before they start eating.

This is a usual sight in the Uchiha family dinner – or, what remains of the Uchiha family. Reika would come home first and then a few minutes later Sasuke would come in. They do this to make sure that no one knows that they live together, especially Sasuke's fan girls, who have mastered the art of stalking, which forces the Uchiha twins to master the art of stealth. Before Sasuke comes in, Reika tries to prepare dinner as fast as possible so that her brother can just get changed and eat.

Not a lot of people know this, but Reika – Uchiha Reika – is the fraternal twin of Uchiha Sasuke, which explains their there-but-not-there resemblance. Some of her facial features are similar to Sasuke's but the features around her eyes look very much like those of their eldest brother's, Uchiha Itachi. From what she knows so far, only the Sandaime Hokage and a handful of Jounin know about this. Sandaime Hokage was the person who suggested that they keep their real relationship hidden as a security measure.

According to Sandaime Hokage, their family's kekkei genkai, Sharingan, has always attracted a lot of attention, being one of the most coveted doujutsu in history. After the Uchiha Massacre, a lot of people had been scavenging for the eyes from their relatives' dead body. Should someone find out that there are survivors, surely they will be targeted.

The thing is, while Itachi was very famous for being an Uchiha prodigy, not a lot of people knew of the existence of the clan head's only daughter. In extension, a lot of people knew that Sasuke was an Uchiha, having shadowed their oldest brother since he could walk. Sasuke was also in favor of keeping Reika's real identity as an Uchiha a secret, in order to protect her and their family legacy. Thus, what people know is that the Uchiha clan had been massacred by Uchiha Itachi, but he left one survivor and one survivor only: his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke. To the citizens of Konoha, Uchiha Reika had died along with her clan.

Even to his twin, Sasuke is an aloof person; which she doesn't mind, because both Sasuke and Reika are natural lone wolves. Despite his aloofness, Reika knows that he loves her and is very protective of her, and she knows he knows that she loves him just as much and is just as protective over him as he does her. Sasuke just hates looking at her eyes, for obvious reasons. Sometimes, he even shows a rare display of affection, such as the hug that happened earlier that afternoon in the empty classroom.

Being twins, Reika and Sasuke have very keen observation regarding each other. They also have that so-called telepathy where they can tell what each other are feeling or thinking most of the time. But for some reason, after their clan was massacred, their bond somehow strengthened and in turn, if they concentrate enough, they can distinguish each other's chakra better than anyone else's even when they're not sensor types, which is why Reika could easily find Sasuke in the warehouse earlier.

"What do you want for breakfast, nii-san?" Reika asks as she eats a piece of fish. She maintains eye contact even though Sasuke is looking at her weirdly. No matter how much she knows that he hates her eyes, she likes to look at someone straight in their eyes when she's talking to them.

"…Kakashi said not to eat breakfast."

"And kaa-san said to always eat breakfast. Shisui-nii-sama always emphasized the importance of breakfast too. I don't care what Kakashi-sensei says; you are not leaving this room tomorrow morning until you've had breakfast," Reika says with a small glare. Sasuke looks away from her.

Uchiha Shisui, otherwise known as _Shunshin no Shisui_ , was the Uchiha family cousin and Itachi's best friend. Even though she has two brothers, Reika can honestly say that she was way closer to Shisui than her brothers, despite the fact that Sasuke is her twin. Ever since they were small, the twins had always wanted to gain their father's approval. She knew that her father was extremely proud of Itachi, and in turn, it made her and Sasuke want to gain the same recognition from their father. Unfortunately, Itachi was already snagged by Sasuke, rendering her mentor-less. At least until Itachi introduced her to Shisui.

Reika grew attached to Shisui like Sasuke was to Itachi. She tried to make him train with her every time they meet, but unlike Itachi, Shisui had more time on his hands, so he could train her more than Itachi could Sasuke. One of the first jutsus Shisui taught Reika was the _Shunshin no Jutsu_ (Body Flicker Jutsu), the jutsu that gained Shisui his fame. It was a basic jutsu, but Shisui taught her how to utilize it to her absolute advantage.

While the thing that got in the way of Sasuke learning more from Itachi was Itachi's business, the thing that got in Reika's way of learning more from Shisui was her weak constitution. She had always been a frail child, to the point where her mother stopped letting her out of the house in fear of her getting sick. That was the other reason why Reika liked being with Shisui so much. Shisui was reasonably protective of her, not to the point where Reika felt suffocated ("I know Mikoto-san told me to go easy on you, but you know I won't, Reika-hime."). Shisui also gave her the reason to get out of the house and train. Shisui had always said that she had enough mental strength to make up for her physical shortcomings, and Reika believes it until now. She still retains her weak body, but she learns to know herself well enough to know her limits.

With the amount of time spent with Shisui, in her childish eyes, Shisui was her hero. He was her first love, the first person to give her the attention she needs from a male figure, and the person whose opinion matters the most to her. Slowly but surely, her desire to gain her father's recognition changed when she started craving Shisui's acknowledgment instead. So when she heard the news that Shisui had died from being pushed off a cliff into the Naka River by Itachi, Reika was devastated – both because of his death and the information that the one who killed him was her eldest brother –, possibly even more than when she found out that she had lost the rest of her clan members and her parents.

While Sasuke wants to find Itachi to kill him, Reika wants to find Itachi to find out why he killed Shisui. Because of him, Reika dreads sleep. Ever since she found out that Shisui had died in Itachi's hands, she has had recurring nightmares about Itachi pushing Shisui off a cliff into the Naka River. She'd then wake up, but unable to continue sleeping for fear that she'll have the same nightmare. The bags under her sunken eyes are proof of her sleepless nights. But every time someone dies, she finds out after she wakes up from a dreamless sleep, so in a way, she's thankful of the nightmares.

"Reika-hime?"

Reika shakes herself out of her stupor and looks straight into Sasuke's onyx eyes, who maintains eye contact for only 5 seconds until he looks away, "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I want tomato stuffed onigiri for breakfast tomorrow."

Reika scoffs with a smile, "You and your tomato obsession."

"I am _not_ obsessed."

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: It's another Saturday, which means another chapter of Secrets. Thanks so much for everyone who have favorited and followed the story. I hope I haven't disappointed anyone yet, haha. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that in this universe, everyone is 3 years older than in the original Naruto verse. It hasn't made a huge difference storyline-wise yet, but I thought that you guys should know. And I forgot disclaimers! Shoot.**

 **Disclaimer: One of Reika's technique involving afterimages is inspired by an assassin technique from Hunter X Hunter called Rhythm Echo, so that technique is owned by Togashi Yoshihiro-sensei.**

* * *

True to her words, when Sasuke wakes up the next morning, Reika has a couple onigiris with different fillings ready and forces him to eat with her. Sasuke knows better than to defy his sister, so he eats them with no resistance. After all, onigiri is enough to fill their energy, but not enough to make them too full that they'll throw up if they exert themselves.

After breakfast, Reika returns to her room to change. She puts on weights on her legs and covers them with her white leg warmers with blue trimmings, similar to the ones Sasuke has on his arms. She puts her black elbow-length fingerless gloves on. She ties her hitai-ate to her neck, and checks and re-checks her tools. Kakashi _did_ say to bring all their tools.

The weights are a precaution. Just in case she runs out of chakra to cast _Shunshin no Jutsu_ , she wants to make sure that she's fast enough to get to where she needs to be. She's plenty fast with them on, but without them, she'll be a force to be reckoned with.

She remembers that Shisui liked to call her "the female, mini version of Itachi" because of how similar their physical conditions are, even though she's Sasuke's twin instead of Itachi's. Both are smart, fast, and have strong chakras, as is the trait of the Uchiha clan, but both also have low chakra reserve. She's very aware of that, but training with Shisui and getting to know herself better has taught her to use it to the best extent. Not to mention Shisui always said that the one who can rival his speed was Itachi and Reika, which he always said to her, "You really are Itachi's sister."

But unlike Itachi, Reika isn't very strong and she doesn't fare very well in taijutsu. That's why Reika learned medical ninjutsu from the medic-nins in the hospital. So far, she only knows the basic _Shousen Jutsu_ (Mystical Palm Jutsu) and first aid, but she intends to learn more so she won't become a liability to her team. To counter her limited chakra reserve, lack of taijutsu skills, and her weak body, she tries to utilize her known ninjutsu, ability to recognize and dispel genjutsu, speed, observation skills, medical ninjutsu, and shurikenjutsu to the best of her ability. She'll try her best to be useful to her brother, and in extension, to her team.

Reika takes her white messenger bag and slips it on, walking outside her room to find Sasuke waiting for her in front of their door. She puts on her dark blue shinobi sandals and walks outside with her brother. In no time, they reach the place they were supposed to meet at, and to Reika's amusement, both Sakura and Naruto look like they wished they are still in dreamland.

"Good morning," Sakura says as she rubs her eyes. Naruto doesn't even bother to say anything coherent.

"Good morning," Reika says out of courtesy. While she is very tired from lack of sleep, it's all in a day's work, having been suffering from recurring lack of sleep for years. Fully functioning while being sleep deprived is a talent of hers. Sasuke is also more awake than everyone else, but Reika can see that he's still a little bit sleepy.

They wait and wait, but there is no sign of Kakashi. Naruto is even back to sleep while sitting down. Eventually Sakura follows and everyone takes their bags off of their shoulders, putting it in the center. Reika shudders when the morning breeze hits the open skin between the end of her fingerless gloves and her short-sleeved white hoodie. She eventually puts on her hood to hide her face and falls asleep on her feet, but wakes up with a small gasp because of the nightmare. She can feel Sakura looking at her weirdly, but she ignores her. Reika sighs at the fact that even after her sleep, Kakashi still hasn't arrived. _God, is this going to be a habit?_ She grumbles in her mind.

"Hi, folks. Good morning!" Kakashi says as he finally arrives, five hours after the time they agreed on. The one _he_ decided by himself. Reika should've mentioned that she hates it when people are late; it's rude to the people who are waiting.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Naruto and Sakura shout together.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, you see…" Kakashi says. Reika's raises her eyebrows. _Seriously? He's using_ that _as an excuse?_ Reika highly doubts his abilities now. Kakashi falters when he hears Naruto and Sakura's growls, and then he clears his throat, "Oh well…"

He walks towards a bark of tree and places an alarm clock that he pulled out from his backpack, "Okay. It's set for 12 PM!" he says, as he pushes the button on the alarm clock. He then produces three bells from his pouch, "Today's assignment is to take these bells from me by noon," Kakashi says as he jingles the bells, "Those who can't do it won't get lunch," to which Sakura replies with a yelp, "They'll be tied to those logs and I'll eat my lunch before your very eyes."

Reika looks at Sasuke with a smug look. _So that's why he said 'no breakfast'… Aren't you grateful that I forced you to eat breakfast, nii-san?_ She thinks as Sasuke returns her look with a scowl. She knows just how much Sasuke hates being proven wrong. She smirks as she listens to Naruto and Sakura's stomachs growl.

"But, hold on. Why are there only three bells?"

Kakashi closes his eye in a smile at Sakura's question, "There are only three, so at the very least one will have to go to the logs. That person will be disqualified for failing the mission and will be sent back to the Academy. It might be one person at the very least, or it could be all four of you."

Reika frowns. She is _not_ going back to the Academy. She also won't let Sasuke return if she can help it.

"You can use your weapons. You won't be able to take the bells unless you come with the intent to kill me."

"But, that's dangerous, sensei!" Reika rolls her eyes at Sakura's exclamation. _Well, if you wanted to live less dangerously, you've picked the wrong line of work, sister._

"Y-Yeah! You couldn't even evade a blackboard eraser!" Naruto says.

"In this world, those who aren't skilled enough tend to complain more. Well, just ignore the loser…" Kakashi says, to which Naruto glares at him, "Begin when I give the 'ready-go' signal…"

Before Kakashi finishes his sentence, Naruto pulls out his kunai and dashes forward to attack Kakashi. But of course, Kakashi catches Naruto's kunai-holding hand and turns it around so that said hand aims at the back of Naruto's head, which is held by Kakashi's other hand.

 _S-So fast… so he really_ is _a Jounin_ , Reika thinks with her eyes wide as she creates more distance between her and her sensei. With her own speed, Reika has trained her eyes so that they could catch someone's movement no matter how fast they are or how fast she goes before she develops her Sharingan. She may still be able to see her sensei's movements, but he's definitely fast.

"Don't be so hasty… I didn't say start yet."

Kakashi lets Naruto go as Sakura and Sasuke follows Reika's lead of distancing themselves from Kakashi.

"But that's fine. At least you came with the intent to kill me," Kakashi ends his sentence with a chuckle, "How can I put this…? I feel like I'm finally starting to like you guys. We're going to start. Ready… start!"

xXx

Team 7 darts to different direction to hide themselves. Reika hides herself on top of a low tree branch that is high enough for her to see from afar and far enough from Kakashi as she looks on to find his weak spot. She closes her eyes for a second and opens them again when she feels Sasuke's chakra. At least she knows where he is. She looks around and sees a flash of pink from under a bush. So there's Sakura. _But where's Naruto…?_

She looks back to where Kakashi stands and slaps her palm to her forehead. Naruto is standing right in front of Kakashi with a smug look on his face, crossing his arms, "Alright! Let's face off fair and square!"

 _Idiot…_ Reika thinks exasperatedly.

"Say… aren't you a bit off kilter?" Reika has to agree.

"What's off kilter is your hairstyle!" Reika also has to agree to that.

Naruto dashes forward, and then Kakashi reaches towards the pouch on his waist. Naruto stops in his tracks.

"I'll teach you the first Shinobi Battle Jutsu… Taijutsu."

 _Taijutsu? You won't need a weapon for that, though…_ Reika focuses her eyes on what he pulls out, and raises an eyebrow in confusion. _A… book?_

"What's the matter? Why don't you come at me?" Kakashi asks without taking his eyes of the open book in his hand.

"Hey, hey… what's with the book?" Naruto asks.

"'Why', you ask…? It's because I'm curious about what happens next. Don't worry. With you guys as opponents, it makes no difference if I'm reading or not," Kakashi says.

 _Oh, he's gonna get mad_ , Reika thinks with a grimace. Just as she expects, Naruto clenches his fist and runs towards Kakashi.

"I'm gonna rip you apart!" he shouts. He jumps and attacks, but Kakashi only deflects his attacks without looking away from his book. And then, Kakashi moves to Naruto's back with immense speed. Reika's eyes widen a little bit. Even though she can see his movements, he is still quite fast. Kakashi has his hands ready in a tiger seal while he crouches behind Naruto.

"Ninja shouldn't let the enemy take them from behind multiple times, fool," Kakashi says. Reika frowns. _Is he going to use a fire jutsu at that range? Naruto's gonna get killed!_ Reika's eyes widen as she moves to another tree to stop Kakashi while keeping herself hidden.

"Naruto! Get out of there, quick! You'll die!" Sakura shouts from the bushes on her right. Reika bites her lower lip. She miscalculated the distance between her and their sensei, and it's taking her longer than she likes to get to them without being seen.

"Too late," Kakashi says. Reika frowns as she continues to move, " _Konohagakure Hiden_ (Konoha Village Secret)! _Taijutsu Oogi_ (Ultimate Taijutsu)! _Sennen Goroshi_ (One Thousand Years of Death)!" Kakashi shouts as he pushes the tiger seal into Naruto's butt, sending him flying away into a nearby lake. Reika slaps a hand to her face. She cannot believe what she had just witnessed.

"I wasted my breath worrying about them," Reika grumbles. She stops at a tree closer to Kakashi than she was before and continues to hide. When she turns back to look at Kakashi, he's back to reading his damn book. Reika sighs. At this rate, they will never be able to get those bells. Kakashi is definitely way stronger than any of them combined.

Reika's eyebrows shoot up. _Combined? Is that it? Do we have to work together to get those bells? It's true that going for them alone is impossible, even for someone with nii-san's skills… but if we were to combine all of our skills…_

Her train of thought is derailed by the oncoming shurikens from the lake. They curve until they reach Kakashi, who catches them with his fingers, without looking away from his book. Reika whistles in admiration. Naruto pulls himself from the lake.

"What's the matter? You won't get lunch if you can't take the bell by noon," Kakashi says.

"I know that- _ttebayo_ …" Naruto says.

"You're not very energetic, considering you said that you'd surpass the Hokage," Kakashi says mockingly. Suddenly Naruto's stomach starts to growl quite loudly.

"Damn it! I can fight even if I'm hungry!"

Reika sighs in relief as she can clearly hear Naruto's stomach grumbling again. _Thank you for your wise words, kaa-san, Shisui-nii-sama._

"I just got a bit careless earlier- _ttebayo_!" Naruto shouts, "I will become a ninja!" he continues as his shadow clones jump up from the water. Reika's eyes widen. This is the first time she has seen them, and Sasuke wasn't joking.

 _Oh my God, Naruto really_ can _make shadow clones!_ Reika thinks as he thinks up a strategy to use their skills to their advantage. _Let's see… I have my speed, Sasuke-nii-san knows pretty strong jutsus, and he can actually use them, and Naruto has his shadow clones. Sakura… hmm… I heard she can notice genjutsu, but I'm not sure what else she's good at… I heard she has a mean right hook, but I've never seen it before…_

Reika looks around her and her eyes catch the light that glints from the three bells that hang from Kakashi's belt. _But why would there only be three bells when there are four of us? Is he purposefully pitting us against each other…? Wait… if this test's purpose really is teamwork… could it be that he's looking for someone who's selfless enough to give the bells to the other members…?_

"Judging from your abilities, that jutsu should have a one-minute limit," Kakashi suddenly says.

 _One minute… so if we want to use Naruto's jutsu, we only have one minute? Hmm…_ Reika continues to think when she sees Naruto holding Kakashi from behind. Her eyes widen. Could he be…?

"Hehehe… ninja shouldn't let the enemy take them from behind, right, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto says, throwing Kakashi's words back to him. Reika smirks. _Not bad… not bad at all._

But then Naruto throws a punch at Kakashi, who is replaced by another Naruto. And then the Narutos start to fight each other. Reika slaps her hand to her face yet again.

 _I should've known it wouldn't be that easy… but it's a smart move, to use_ Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Jutsu) _and replace himself with one of Naruto's shadow clones._ When Naruto undoes the jutsu, he is left alone, proving Reika's theory correct. Kakashi _had_ replaced himself with one of Naruto's shadow clones.

Then a glint of silver shines from beside a tree close to where Naruto is standing. The bell.

 _That's clearly a trap. Only an idiot will be fooled_ , Reika thinks. But then, of course, Naruto makes a grab for it and he falls into a trap. Again, Reika slaps her hand to her face. _Idiot_.

"You have to think when you're using a jutsu. They can be used against you. Also… don't get caught in an obvious trap, you fool," Kakashi says with a smile on his face, "A ninja must see through deception!"

"I get that- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says in his upside-down position, his legs tied up to a tree.

"Excuse me, I'm telling you because you _don't_ get it. Listen up! Your movements are wasteful!" Kakashi says. Reika feels a movement from her left and turns. Suddenly a barrage of kunai and shuriken attack Kakashi. He seems to still be immersed in his speech, since all of the weapons Sasuke throw at him actually hit him, seemingly killing him.

Reika's eyes widen. _You don't hold back do you, nii-san? But of course, he'll have used_ Kawarimi no Jutsu… _and with that thought, Kakashi-sensei must've realized where Sasuke-nii-san is by now._

"Sasuke, you've overdone it!" Naruto says.

True to her thoughts, Kakashi's body is replaced by a piece of log. Reika feels movement from her left and right, telling her that her brother and his fan girl have made their move. She doesn't know where Kakashi is, but she figures that she needs to help Naruto first. She throws a kunai towards the rope that is holding Naruto up and dashes towards Naruto, catching him just in time before his face meets the ground.

"Rei-chan, you saved me! Thank you!" Naruto says as Reika helps him to untie the ropes on his feet, "You were really fast, Rei-chan! That was awesome."

"Thank you?" Reika says, and it comes off as a question because she doesn't know how to feel about her new nickname, "Naruto, I need your help. There's no way we can take Kakashi-sensei on alone. We need to work together," Reika says, but then she realizes that Naruto isn't even listening to her. He's looking at the direction of the lunch boxes on top of the Memorial Stone and walks towards it.

"I'll see you later, Rei-chan!"

"W-Wait!" Reika says, but Naruto has moved. Reika sighs, "Oh well. I'll just go and find nii-san and get him to help me."

Reika closes her eyes and concentrates until she can feel her twin's chakra, and moves towards him. Suddenly she hears Sakura yelling and stops in her tracks. What could make her scream? Luckily, the source of the scream seems to be at the same location of her brother, so Reika can help Sakura and get to Sasuke at the same time.

She stops behind a bush when she realizes that her twin brother is currently facing off against their sensei. She looks around and finds Sakura lying down. She tries to move as quietly as possible to check her condition. She sighs in relief. As much as she doesn't like her, Sakura is still her teammate. It reliefs her to know that Sakura is fine; she is just passed out. But then she raises an eyebrow.

 _What did Kakashi-sensei do to her…? Could it be… genjutsu?_

Reika pushes some of her chakra to release Sakura from her genjutsu before her brother does something rash. Suddenly Sakura gasps and wakes up.

"Sakura, you okay?" Reika asks.

"Sasuke-kun! Where is he?! He was dying!" Sakura screams as she looks around.

"Ssh! Not so loud! You were in a genjutsu; Sasuke-kun is fine!" Reika whispers with a finger in front of her lips.

"Oh yeah? And why should I trust you?" Sakura asks haughtily. Reika sighs in exasperation but ultimately decides to ignore her question.

"Listen. There is no way we can get those bells on our own. We need to work together!"

"Oh, I _will_ work with Sasuke-kun. And we'll get those bells together and you and Naruto can go back to the Academy!" Sakura says as she leaves Reika while calling out Sasuke's name. Reika shakes her head with an exasperated sigh.

Suddenly she feels a spike in Sasuke's chakra. She moves towards the bushes near the place where she found Kakashi and Sasuke together to see that Sasuke is making signs.

" _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu)!" Sasuke shouts as he blows fireball out of his mouth.

 _He really does not hold back_ , Reika thinks. But when Reika looks at the space where Kakashi is supposed to be, he is gone. Reika's eyes widen. _This is bad_. She looks on as Sasuke looks to his back and upwards, trying to find Kakashi.

"Sasuke-kun, below you!" Reika shouts. But she's too late, as Kakashi's hand grabs Sasuke's left leg.

" _Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu_ (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Jutsu)!" Kakashi shouts as he pulls Sasuke into the ground. Sasuke screams and Reika winces. Kakashi is back on the ground while Sasuke is buried until only his head is visible, "Shinobi Battle Jutsu #3, Ninjutsu. How is it? You can't move, eh? Although, you're… already starting to make your mark. But, oh well… they do say that the nail that sticks up gets hammered down, so… now, let's just wait for Reika to come out…" Kakashi says as he pulls out his book and starts to read.

 _Now!_ Reika throws a kunai towards a tree near Kakashi, and when he turns to look at the kunai, she moves to another bush and throws another couple of senbons towards him. Senbons are thinner and less visible than shurikens or kunais, so Reika figures that they would be harder to dodge. While Kakashi tries to avoid them, Reika runs towards the bells but he turns his body just as her fingertips touch the bell. She curses and stops as she turns to look at Kakashi.

"Oh? You're different too," Kakashi says. Reika curses her inability to think quickly on her feet like Shikamaru does. She can't use _Goukakyuu no Jutsu_ because even though she has enough chakra, she has seen what happened to her brother when he did that jutsu. She needs something foolproof to make Kakashi drop his guard down.

And then she moves towards Kakashi. She walks in circles around Kakashi, keeping her eyes on him. She notices that his eye widen. She smirks. Her afterimage must be visible by then. She moves so fast that she leaves after-images in her wake. It's similar to a clone jutsu, but for this, she doesn't need her chakra. The more chakra she can conserve, the better.

"Afterimages, huh… just how fast are you, Reika-chan?" Kakashi asks. While he focuses on the afterimage in front of him, Reika dashes towards Kakashi from behind. But again, when she finally manages to touch one of the bells, he disappears.

"Damn it!" Reika curses.

"Reika," Sasuke calls from behind her. Reika turns to him and walks towards him, "Get me out of here."

Reika sighs, "Wouldn't hurt you to say please… Only if you help me after I get you out. You know as well as I do that we can't do this on our own, Sasuke-kun."

Suddenly they hear movement from her left. Sakura is running past them, and she stops in her tracks when she sees Sasuke. Or, more accurately, Sasuke's head. Suddenly she screams and faints – again. Reika snorts, "Good God, this chick…"

After she manages to get Sasuke out of the ground, she approaches Sakura. She slaps her cheeks lightly until she comes to.

"Sasuke-kun…? You're okay!" Sakura says as she throws her arms around Sasuke. Reika scowls.

"Hey, cut it out! Don't cling to me!" Sasuke protests.

"Get off him, Sakura," Reika says with a low voice. She _really_ doesn't like it when someone touches her brother inappropriately, "Like I said earlier, we need to work together to get those bells…"

"There's not much time left until noon. I'm going," Sasuke suddenly says. Reika growls as, yet again, she is being ignored. This time by her own brother. _Jerk_ , Reika thinks.

"Sasuke-kun, you're still going after the bells?" Sakura asks.

"I was able to touch them earlier. This time I'll be able to take them."

"Eh? I-I see. As expected, you're awesome, Sasuke-kun! Um… say… there's really no time left… so let's just take it easy and try again next time," Sakura says. Sasuke suddenly glares at her. Reika sighs. Apparently she's invisible here.

"I'm the only one who can kill that man," Sasuke suddenly says. Reika looks down and frowns. She never likes it when Sasuke talks revenge.

"Huh…? What? You mean Sensei?" Reika scoffs. _If only you knew what kind of person you're crushing on…_

"At that time… I was crying," Sasuke continues. Reika vaguely remembers that. _He was. It was the last time I saw his tears._

"Crying…? What…? What is it?"

"I'm an avenger. I must become stronger than that man… I don't have time for setbacks here."

Suddenly Reika hears a loud ring of an alarm. She sighs. _Well, to the Academy we return, I guess_ …


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto is tied up against a log, with Sasuke and Reika to his right and Sakura to his left. Apparently Kakashi caught Naruto trying to steal their lunches, and that's why he's the only one tied up. Reika can clearly hear Naruto and Sakura's stomachs start to growl again.

"Oh, your stomachs are growling… by the way, about this exercise… well! There's no need for you guys to go back to the Academy," Kakashi says.

Naruto brightens up.

Sakura looks bewildered, "Eh? But I… all I did was pass out," she says. _Took the words right out of my mouth_ , Reika thinks as she rolls her eyes, "Is that okay?" Sakura asks. But then she jumps up and down in joy. Even Sasuke is smirking. But Reika frowns.

 _No, no, that's not how it works. It couldn't have been that easy._ None _of us could get the bells, together or otherwise. There must be some kind of catch here._

"So, so, that means the four of us…" Naruto says as he moves his legs up and down happily in his tied up state.

"Yes. The four of you… must quit being a ninja!"

Everyone stops at that.

"Quit being a ninja?! What are you talking about?! It's true we weren't able to take the bells, but why do we have to be told to quit?!" Naruto protests.

"That's because you're all brats who don't have the qualifications to become a ninja," Kakashi says.

"Uh-oh…" Reika whispers. She knows just how much Sasuke likes being called a brat: not at all. And of course, her predictions come true as Sasuke dashes forward to attack Kakashi.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screams. Kakashi then dodges Sasuke and in turn, sits on top of him with a foot on top of his head while holding his hand to his back. Reika's hand twitches in annoyance. She _does not_ like it when her brother is being used as a cushion. She runs a hand through her hair to calm herself down.

"This is why I said you're all brats."

"Don't step on Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screams. _I agree. Please refrain from making my beloved twin brother into a chair_ , Reika thinks as she glares at Kakashi.

"Do you kids think that being a ninja is easy? Huh?"

They all grimace.

"Why do you think you're doing this exercise in teams?"

Reika sighs. Her theory was right.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Sakura asks.

"From what I see here… only one of you understands the answer to this test. The answer that determines passing or failing of this test."

"That's… what I've wanted to ask about for a while now," Sakura says.

"Geez, are you guys brainless? Reika? What do you think is the meaning of a four-nin squad?"

Reika's eyes widen from being singled out. She can feel everyone's eyes on her, and she composes herself. She squeezes her hand in a fist, then she sighs, "…teamwork."

"Exactly." Kakashi says.

"You mean, working together?" Sakura asks.

"Yes. But it's too late even if you realize that now. You might've been able to take the bells if the four of you had come at me… Well, it's too bad."

 _Too bad, indeed. If only I was forceful enough, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation right now_ , Reika thinks, berating herself.

"Why use teamwork if there were only three bells? If the four of us were to desperately go take the bells with one having to hold back, that wouldn't be teamwork. That would create an internal discord!" Sakura says. Reika bites her lip.

"You look like you have something to say, Reika," Reika sees Kakashi looking straight at her. Reika sighs.

"He did that on purpose. He was trying to find out which one of us can put our personal interest aside and help each other."

"She's absolutely right. I noticed that Reika put her head down and asked each and every one of you guys for help, but… Reika! While you understand the meaning of this test, you took your sweet time thinking up strategies and none of it came to fruition; you're all talk but no action. And when you ask your teammates for help and they refuse, you gave up so easily. Sakura! You were only concerned with Sasuke and you didn't even know where he was, you didn't care for Naruto who was right in front of your eyes, and you never thanked Reika for helping you. Naruto! All you do is run solo! While you…" Kakashi says as he steps on Sasuke's head. Reika's right hand twitches again, "…labeled your teammates as hindrances and acted on your own!

"Missions are carried out in squads," Kakashi continues, "There's no mistaking that ninjas need unsurpassed individual skills, but teamwork is more important than that. Individual actions that disrupt teamwork throw the team into crisis and lead to death! For example…"

Kakashi reaches for a kunai and holds it against Sasuke's neck. Reika flinches.

"Sakura! Kill Naruto and Reika, or Sasuke dies!"

She sees Sakura and Naruto panicking. Reika sighs in annoyance as she squeezes her hand in a fist. She knows this is just an example, but that doesn't mean she has to like it.

"…that is what will happen," Kakashi says as he pulls the kunai away and spins it with his finger.

"Oh, I was so surprised…" Sakura says in relief. Naruto also sags in relief.

"On top of having a hostage taken, you're faced with two impossible choices and end up being killed," Kakashi puts his kunai away, and steps away from Sasuke, "Every mission is a life-risking assignment," Kakashi then walks towards the Memorial Stone, "Look at this. The many names engraved on this stone are ninjas who are called heroes in the village."

"That! I like that! I've decided now to get my name engraved there too! Hero! Hero! I'm not gonna die like a dog!" Naruto exclaims. Reika winces.

"But… they're not just ordinary heroes," Kakashi said.

"No kidding! Then, what kind of heroes are they?" Naruto asks. Kakashi is silent. Reika doesn't want to burst Naruto's bubble, but if Kakashi isn't going to tell him, Reika will.

"They're K.I.A.s, Naruto."

"Huh? What's that?"

"They are heroes who were killed in action," Kakashi says.

"Huh?"

"It means they died performing a mission," Sakura elaborates. Naruto looks shocked, and then he lowers his eyes in regret. Sasuke frowns.

"This is a memorial. The names of my friends are also engraved here…" Kakashi says. Reika looks down sadly, so does Sakura.

"I'll give you guys one more chance!" Kakashi suddenly says, "However, after noon, it'll be a harsher battle to take the bell. Those who want to take on the challenge can eat lunch. But! Don't let Naruto have any. It's punishment for breaking the rules and attempting to eat lunch on your own. If someone lets him eat, that person will be disqualified on the spot."

Everyone glares at Kakashi.

" _I_ make the rules here. Got it?" Kakashi says menacingly.

xXx

Sasuke and Sakura eat their lunches, but Reika only looks at it. She's not exactly very hungry. It feels wrong to eat when you're in the presence of someone whose stomach is growling like crazy. She turns towards Naruto, as do her teammates.

"I-I'm fine with not eating lunch! I'm good- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says as his stomach continues to beg for food, "I-I'm fine…" Naruto says weakly while his stomach begs to differ. Reika sighs. She moves towards Naruto and holds up her chopsticks, holding up some rice to his mouth.

"Eat," Reika says.

"B-But Reika… Sensei just said…"

"It's okay, Sakura. He's not around. We're going to go get those bells together, right? We'll need the energy. Besides, I've eaten breakfast. I'm not so hungry. Now _eat_ , Naruto. My hand's getting sore," Reika says.

Sasuke looks down to his food, and offers his box to Naruto too.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims in shock.

"It'll be a pain if he becomes a hindrance to me, so…"

Sakura then looks down to her own lunch box, and then she squeezes her eyes shut while offering her lunchbox with both of her hands to Naruto. Naruto actually has tears in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan… Rei-chan… thanks…" Naruto says.

"Stop thanking us. Hurry up and eat. Like I said, my hand's getting sore," Reika says. She offers her rice to Naruto again, and this time, he eats it. Sakura also has some rice on her chopsticks, and she reluctantly feeds Naruto.

Suddenly smoke blows up from behind her and the wind picks up violently, and Reika turns around to find Kakashi glaring at them.

"You four!"

Reika gulps. She is actually a little bit scared of her sensei now.

"You defied the rules, so that means you know what's coming…" Kakashi makes hand seals and suddenly the sky grows dark and menacing, with thunder booming here and there, "Do you have anything to say?"

Reika looks around. Sasuke is glaring at Kakashi, Sakura is cowering in fear, and Naruto looks frightened.

"B-But…"

"What?"

"B-B-But! You said so, sensei! These guys…" Naruto starts.

"We're a four-nin squad, right?" Sasuke cuts him off.

"That's right! The four of us are one, so…!" Sakura continues.

"We'd be nothing without each other," Reika says with a glare, though still quite intimidated by Kakashi.

"That's right!" Naruto finishes.

"The four of you are one, eh…?" Kakashi says as he approaches them. He leans down and scrutinizes them. And then his eye closes in a smile, "You pass!"

Reika raises an eyebrow. Sakura's eyes widen, "Eh?!"

"Huuh?" Naruto says. From what Reika sees, Sasuke still doesn't look convinced as he's still glaring at Kakashi.

"You pass!" Kakashi repeats.

"We… passed? Why?" Sakura asks as the dark clouds begin rolling out, giving way to a bright blue sky.

"You guys are the first. Up until now, it was always just idiots who would meekly listen to what I said…" Kakashi says, "A ninja must see through deception. In the world of ninja, those who break the rules are scums… but… those who abandon their friends are worse than scums."

Sakura smiles at Kakashi, and even Reika gives a small smile. Naruto looks like he's going to cry. Sasuke smiles in satisfaction.

"He… he's kinda… cool," Naruto says.

"That's it for the exercise… everyone passes! Team 7 starts their mission tomorrow!" Kakashi says.

"Yes, sir!" Sakura says as she jumps in glee.

"I did it! I'm a ninja! Ninja! Ninja!" Naruto exclaims.

"Let's go home," Kakashi says as he walks away. Sasuke, Reika, and Sakura follow him.

"I knew this is how it'd turn out! Untie me!" Naruto screams from behind them. Reika pulls out a kunai and throws it to the ropes holding Naruto, effectively freeing him.

"Naruto! Return my kunai, will you?!" Reika calls out.

"Okay, Rei-chan! Thanks!" Naruto says as he catches up to them. Naruto gives her the kunai she threw and Reika puts it back in her pouch.

"Um… Reika…" Reika turns to Sakura after she calls her, "Um… thank you. For helping me earlier."

Reika's eyebrows shoot up. She never expects Sakura to thank her. She gives her a small smile, to which Sakura's eyes widen in surprise. _This must be really hard for her to do, thanking me_ , Reika thinks. She decides not to give her a hard time.

"Don't mention it, Sakura; we're teammates. I expect you to do the same for me," Reika says with a smirk. Sakura smiles at her. Naruto then loudly exclaims that they need to celebrate their passing with some ramen from Ichiraku, but only Sakura accepts. Sasuke only walks away, which angers Naruto.

"Well, he doesn't know what he's missing out on! To Ichiraku Ramen, go!" Naruto says.

xXx

"I'm home," Reika calls out as she takes her shinobi sandals off.

"Welcome home," Sasuke's voice comes from the living room.

"Have you eaten yet?" Reika asks. Sasuke grunts, "Is that a yes or a no? I know we're twins, nii-san, but I can't read your mind."

"Yes."

Reika shrugs as she browses their bookcase, picking some random book to read before she goes to sleep.

"Reika-hime," Reika turns when Sasuke calls her. He has his back to her, "…good job on the exercise today."

Even though it's just a simple praise, Reika is infinitely happy. This is coming from her brother who has a hard time communicating his feelings, so for him to praise her is a great achievement in her book.

"Thank you, nii-san… you did great too."

"Hn," is all Sasuke says as he walks to his own room.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow! Thanks so much to the reviewers for their short but sweet reviews. You made my week :D Here's another chapter, and we've entered the Land of Waves Arc. Enjoy!**

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Team 7 and Kakashi are standing in the mission room in front of the Hokage, Madame Shijimi and her Tora whom they captured earlier still 'reconnecting'.

"NOOOOOO!" Naruto shouts, making an X with his arms while the Hokage is listing more D-rank missions for them to do, "No! No, thank you! I wanna do a more exciting mission! Give us something else!"

Reika has to agree. These D-rank missions are getting old. She knows Sasuke agrees with her.

"You fool! You're still the bottom rookie! At the start, everyone moves up the ladder by gaining experience from simple missions!" Iruka berates Naruto from beside the Hokage.

"B-But! It's been nothing but boring missions so far!" Naruto says before Kakashi hits his head and he falls to the ground.

"Knock it off!" Kakashi says. The Sandaime Hokage then proceeds to explain the missions to them, but Reika knows better than to think that Naruto is listening to him at all. Instead, he's talking about different types of ramen to eat. But in his defense, listening to Naruto's talk about ramen is more interesting than being lectured about what she already knows.

"Listen to me!" the Hokage says.

"I-I'm sorry," Kakashi says as he scratches his hair.

"Man, you always lecture me, old man!" Naruto exclaims. Reika sighs. She has never met someone who is so disrespectful to the Hokage and actually gets away with it, "But I'm not that little prankster that you think I am! Humph!" Naruto sulks with a pout. Interestingly enough, instead of getting mad, Iruka smiles and the Hokage chuckles. _Just what kind of relationship does Naruto have with them to actually get away unscathed?_ Reika thinks with a frown.

"Okay, fine!" the Hokage suddenly says, "If you insist, I'll have you do a C-rank mission. You'll be bodyguards for someone."

Team 7 looks at the Hokage with wide eyes. Reika didn't think it would be so easy.

"Really?! Who? Who? A feudal lord? A princess?" Naruto asks. _Not likely, if it's only a C-rank_ , Reika thinks.

"Don't get so hasty," the Hokage continues, "I'll introduce you now. Please come in!"

Team 7 and Kakashi turn to look at the door, and a drunken, gray-haired old man with glasses, a towel around his neck, holding a beer bottle comes in through it.

"What's this…? It's just a bunch of damned brats!" the man says as he takes a big gulp of beer, "Especially you, the shortest boy with the idiot face. Are you really a ninja?"

Reika's hand twitches. Height is a very sensitive issue for her, because she notices very early on that she's shorter than most girls even with her long legs. Reika _knows_ that she's the shortest out of all of them, followed by Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke towering over all of them. But the man _did_ say 'boy', so Naruto knows the man meant him instead of Reika. Of course, Naruto throws a fit right afterwards, threatening to kill their client with Kakashi holding him back.

"Also that short girl! Can you even see right with that hair above your eye?"

Before any of her teammates and her sensei can react, Reika has thrown a kunai at him, stabbing the frame of the door their client is leaning against. The client is frozen, and he looks at the kunai, and then at Reika, who's smiling very sweetly.

"I'm sorry, my hair is in my way," she smirks darkly at their client as she runs her hand through her hair, uncovering her right eye from her bangs. She glares at their client, "I'll make sure not to miss next time."

"Reika… stand down," Kakashi says. Reika huffs and crosses her arms in front of her chest. _That'll teach the old fart not to run his mouth_.

Their client clears his throat, "I'm Tazuna, veteran bridge builder," Tazuna, their client, says, "You'll be risking life and limb in guarding me to the max until I return to my land and complete my bridge!"

Shortly afterwards, Kakashi dismisses them and tells them to meet at the gates in two hours. Reika takes her sweet time preparing for the mission because two hours is a long time, and there's no guarantee that Kakashi will come on time.

"Reika-hime, let's go," Sasuke calls her from outside her door. Reika puts on her black backpack and walks outside her door. The twins then leave their apartment and meet with their team and Tazuna at the gates. For once, Kakashi isn't late. _Huh. Maybe he just has trouble getting up in the morning?_

"Alright! We're off!" Naruto says as he stands outside of the gate, facing the team with fists up in the air.

"What are you so excited about?" Sakura asks. Reika also wonders about that.

"You see, I've never left the village before!" Naruto says as he looks around like a child on his first field trip, which he kinda is.

"Hey, will I really be okay with this brat?!" Tazuna asks doubtfully. Naruto stops what he was doing and sulks.

Kakashi chuckles, "I'm a Jounin. I'll be watching him, don't worry."

"Hey, old man! Don't be mocking ninjas so much! I'm awesome, you see! I'm a super-elite ninja who will be called Hokage one day! My name's Uzumaki Naruto! Remember it well!" Naruto says. Reika sighs as she runs her hand through her already unruly hair. This is gonna be a long day.

"Say, Tazuna-san…" Sakura starts, "Your country is the Land of Waves, right?"

"What of it?" Tazuna asks.

"Say, Kakashi-sensei, are there ninjas in that land too?"

"No. there aren't ninjas in the Land of Waves, but in other nations, while cultures and customs are different, hidden villages exist, and there are ninjas there," Kakashi says. He then proceeds to explain about the Five Great Nation, their hidden villages, and the Gokages. He gets mad when he realizes that Sakura and Naruto seem to have doubted the Hokage. Not Reika, though. She knows just how powerful the Hokage is, and she respects him very much. After all, he is the first person to treat her like she's not made of glass after her clan was wiped out.

"Well, don't worry. There are no ninja battles in a C-rank mission," Kakashi says with a hand on Sakura's head.

"Then, there's no worry of getting into a scrape with foreign ninjas…!" Sakura says in relief. Reika is still wondering why Sakura is a ninja when she's such a pacifist.

They continue their walk towards Land of Waves, and Reika accidentally steps on a puddle of water.

"Be careful, Reika," Kakashi says.

"Ah, yes…" Reika says. And then she frowns. _Why…?_

Reika continues to walk with her team. But there's a nagging feeling that something is wrong, so she turns back to look at the puddle, only to find two shinobis wrapping a chain of shurikens around Kakashi and pulling it tight until Kakashi is dismembered into a pile of flesh and blood. Reika's eyes widen, but then she frowns in determination. She grabs her kunai and looks towards Sasuke who returns her look. Reika nods to signal him that she understands, and she takes her defense stance.

While Sasuke throws his shuriken towards the hole in the chains and sticks the chain to a tree, Reika aims for the hole in the shuriken he threw and throws her kunai towards it to stop the shinobis' movement. Sasuke stands on top of the shinobis' metal gauntlets, and then he uses them as leverage and kicks their faces. The shinobis detach their arm from their metal gauntlets and one of them runs towards Naruto and the other towards Tazuna. She sees that Sakura is protecting Tazuna and Sasuke is dashing towards them, so Reika takes another kunai to her hand and moves to stand in front of Naruto, who crouches down in fear.

Before the shinobi can attack Tazuna, Sakura, and Sasuke, Kakashi suddenly shows up and chokes the shinobi with his right arm and the shinobi who was aiming for Naruto is unconscious on his left.

"Yo," he says. Reika rolls her eyes. _Of course he's not dead,_ Reika thinks. She noticed the pile of logs in the place of Kakashi before she moves to defend Naruto. Reika leans down to help Naruto up when she sees the cut on the back of Naruto's hand.

"Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I got you hurt," Kakashi says, "I didn't think you'd freeze up so much," he continues as he walks towards Sasuke and Sakura, "Anyhow, let me just say, good job, Sasuke, Sakura," he then turns to Reika, "You too, Reika."

Reika nods and looks at Naruto's bewildered expression. _Is he still shaken from what happened?_ Reika thinks as she examines his cut. Reika clicks her tongue when she finds out that those shinobis claws that cut Naruto's hand are laced with poison.

"Yo!" Sasuke suddenly calls out to Naruto. Naruto jumps, "Are you hurt… scaredy cat-kun?" Sasuke says in a mocking tone. Reika sighs. _Nii-san, you really need to work on your people skills…_

Naruto, predictably, grows angry and shouts Sasuke's name as he prepares to attack Sasuke.

"Naruto!" Kakashi calls out.

"Don't move," Reika says, "You need to take the poison out now."

"Huh?"

"These guys have poison on their claws," Kakashi explains.

"Open the wound and drain the poisoned blood," Reika tells him calmly. She doesn't need him to panic and worsen his wound now, "And don't move so much; it'll spread," Reika instructs as Naruto looks down at his wound in fear. Reika sighs, "Just listen to me and you'll be fine. I won't let you die."

Kakashi ties the shinobis up against a tree and team 7 and Tazuna gathers around them, "Chuunin from Kirigakure… these guys are known for continuing to fight no matter what the sacrifice."

"How were you able to detect our movements?" one of the shinobis asks.

"It's a clear day," Reika suddenly pipes up, turning everyone's attention to her. Kakashi looks at her with something that looks like pride, "And it hasn't rained in days, but there's a puddle of water. It doesn't add up."

"Exactly," Kakashi says.

"You know that, but why did you leave it to the kids to fight?" Tazuna asks.

"If I felt like it, I could kill these guys instantly…" Kakashi says as though he's talking about the weather, "But… I had to know who their target was."

Tazuna looks nervous, "Hm? W-What do you mean?"

"In other words, what I mean is I had to know if it was you or one of us shinobi who was being targeted. We haven't heard anything about you being targeted by ninjas. The content of the request was supposed to just be protection from gangs, thieves, and the like… this is a B-rank mission or higher," Kakashi says, "The request was supposed to be for backup protection until you finished building your bridge. If our enemies were to be ninjas, the mission would've been estimated as an expensive B-rank mission."

Reika notices that Tazuna doesn't meet Kakashi's eyes.

"It appears there's some kind of good reason for this, but being lied to in the request won't do. This is beyond the scope of our mission," Kakashi finishes.

"This mission is too soon for us… let's give it up!" Sakura says.

"I agree. We need to get Naruto's wound looked at. I know some medical ninjutsu, but I'm still too inexperienced to handle poisons," Reika says as she takes out a bottle of disinfectant. She starts disinfecting one of her kunais for Naruto to start getting the poison out.

"This sure is a burden!" Kakashi says as he steals a pointed look at Naruto, "Since we need to treat Naruto's wound, should we head back to the village…?"

Reika sighs. _He's pissing Naruto off on purpose... what is Kakashi-sensei trying to pull?_

Suddenly Naruto pulls out his own kunai and stabs his wound with it. Sakura gasps. Sasuke, Tazuna, and Kakashi look on in shock. Reika sighs in exasperation. _Idiot. For once, I'm too slow,_ Reika thinks as she looks down at the disinfected kunai. She looks at Naruto's expression and sees that he seems to be berating himself. _He must've taken Kakashi-sensei's words to heart. So naïve…_

"Naruto! What are you doing?!" Sakura reprimands him.

"I swear on this wound on my left hand… I'll protect you, old man… with this kunai! The mission continues!" Naruto suddenly exclaims.

"Naruto…" Kakashi starts, "It's all well and good to rid yourself of the poisoned blood… but any more than that and you'll bleed to death."

Naruto stops in his tracks and panics. Reika frowns, "Stop panicking. Let me see your wound," Reika says as she takes Naruto's hand in hers, "I had a kunai disinfected already for your wound… but of course you'd use your own and get more germs in the wound. Not to mention the wound must be bigger and deeper now," Reika complains, "But I think you've gotten most of the poison out. That's a good sign, at least," Reika says as she looks down at Naruto's wounded hand.

Reika's eyes widen as she witnesses the wound healing itself right before her eyes. _That's impossible… he stabbed himself with a kunai, for heaven's sakes! The wound should've been deeper than this!_ Reika jumps out of her stupor when she realizes that Kakashi is standing right behind her.

"E-Excuse me…" Reika and Kakashi look up at Naruto, "Am I gonna be okay? You guys look awfully serious…"

Reika takes out a roll of bandage from her waist pouch and wraps them around Naruto's bloody hand, "Tell me if it's too tight."

"You should be okay," Kakashi says. Reika is still pondering over what she had just witnessed. Never in her life has she seen something so… miraculous.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm in a good mood and I don't really have anything to do today, so I decided to post this now. Usually I'll wait until it's nighttime where I am, but I figured now's fine! This is the longest chapter so far! Enjoy!**

* * *

Reika pales when they arrive at a dock where they'll take a boat that will take them to the Land of Waves. Speed, Reika can handle. But the swaying of a boat in the middle of an unpredictable body of water, she's not fond of. She has never liked water, as it only serves as a reminder of the mad currents of the Naka River that swept Shisui's body away to the point where his body couldn't be found. She can feel Sasuke's concerned eyes on her. She sighs and gets on the boat reluctantly.

Reika sits on one side of the boat, and crosses her legs above the other. Her right leg starts to shake up and down in her discomfort. Sasuke moves to sit beside her, and he discreetly puts his left hand above her right leg, stopping her shaking leg. Reika turns to look at him and smiles at him gratefully. Then the boat moves into the fog and Reika whimpers under her breath.

"Reika? Are you okay?" Kakashi asks. This is the first time he has ever seen her show some kind of weakness, so he's a little bit worried. Reika takes a deep breath, but she doesn't answer his question.

"She'll be fine. She's never been good with water," Sasuke answers for her. Sakura scoffs mockingly at her.

"You call yourself a kunoichi when you can't handle a simple boat ride? I'm sure Sasuke-kun likes a stronger girl than that, right, Sasuke-kun?"

But Sasuke ignores her in favor of patting Reika's leg, which has started to shake again. Sakura glowers at where Sasuke is placing his hand and growls when Sasuke pulls Reika's head on top of his left shoulder.

"Sleep. I'll wake you when we land," Sasuke whispers in Reika's ear. Reika sighs in relief.

"Thanks."

And so Reika sleeps.

"Wooow! It's huge!" Naruto suddenly shouts. Reika jumps out of her sleep because of it. She groans as she holds her head. She's gonna have a terrible headache. But somehow she's grateful for the rough wake-up call as it actually woke her before she can even start dreaming.

"Naruto!" Sasuke hisses, reprimanding him for waking his sister up.

"Please keep it down! I took this boat under the cover of fog, and I cut the engine and am rowing by hand. If they find us, we'll be in deep trouble!" the boat owner says. Reika controls her breath and whimpers from time to time whenever the boat rocks just a little wilder than Reika can handle.

"Tazuna-san…" Kakashi starts, "I want to ask you something before we arrive at the pier," Tazuna keeps on looking down and doesn't meet Kakashi's eye, "The identity of your assailants, and the reason why they are after you. If you don't tell us, our mission may end when you make landfall."

Tazuna keeps his silence, and Kakashi glares at him. Team 7 turns to look at Tazuna as well. Their client sighs and says, "It appears I have no choice but to tell you. No. Frankly, I'd like you to listen. Just as you said, this may be beyond the scope of your mission. Actually, I am being targeted by a terrifying man."

"A terrifying man? Who?"

"You guys have probably heard at least his name before. A shipping magnate by the name of Gato."

Kakashi widens his eye, "What? Gato… of the Gato Company? One of the world's richest men?"

"Who? What?" Naruto asks excitedly.

"Yes. On the surface, he's the CEO of a shipping company, but underneath, he's into drug trafficking and deals in contrabands using gangs and ninjas. Moreover, he runs a despicable business, ruthlessly taking over nations and enterprises. It was about a year ago when that man first set his eyes on the Land of Waves. He used his wealth and violence to enter this country, and before anyone knew it, he had taken complete control of the island's maritime transportation and shipping. Having a tight grip on the ocean in an island nation like the Land of Waves means having control of finance, the government, the people… everything. The one thing Gato fears is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for some time now."

"I see…" Sakura says, "Since you're the one building the bridge, you've become a hindrance."

"Then, those ninjas from before were Gato's men…?" Sasuke wonders.

"But I don't understand. Your opponent is a dangerous one, who will even use ninja. Why did you hide that fact from us when you made your request?" Kakashi asks.

"The Land of Waves is a very poor nation, and even feudal lords have no money. Of course, we ordinary citizens have no money either. We cannot afford to make requests of B-rank or higher… well, if you pull out of the mission when I land ashore, I will, no doubt, be killed, sometime before I make it home. But there's no need for concern! Should I die, my cute grandchild who will turn eight will only cry his heart out! And my daughter will only blame Konoha ninja for the rest of her life and grieve in solitude! Oh, it's not your fault at all!"

Reika sighs in irritation as Tazuna tries to guilt trip the team into finishing their mission. Kakashi turns to look at the team, and they all look at each other. Kakashi flicks the metal of his hitai-ate as he thinks.

"Well, I guess we have no choice. Let's continue to be his bodyguards," Kakashi says as he shrugs.

"Oh! I am most grateful!"

Reika grits her teeth, not only because of Tazuna, but also because the sudden rocking of the boat, "Oh God, when will this end…" Reika wonders under her breath.

"We'll be arriving soon," the boat owner says. Reika sighs in relief, "Tazuna. It appears we haven't been noticed up until this point."

"Thanks," Tazuna says. They go through a tunnel and finally arrive at the Land of Waves. The second Reika sees the pier, she flickers towards it and waits until the boat reaches the pier.

"That desperate to get out, huh?" Kakashi asks amusedly. Reika crosses her arms in annoyance as she glares at her sensei. She doesn't even bother correcting him. After everyone gets off, the boat owner leaves with his boat after Tazuna thanks him.

"Okay! Get me home safely," Tazuna says.

"Yes, yes," Kakashi says as they start to walk towards Tazuna's house. Reika raises an eyebrow when Naruto suddenly runs forward and throws his kunai at a random bush.

"Heh… just a mouse," Naruto says as he wipes a hand through his hair.

"Quit trying to show off!" Sakura says, "There was nothing there in the first place!"

"Please, Naruto. Don't use kunais recklessly. They're really dangerous," Kakashi says.

"You're gonna hurt someone if you're not careful," Reika says. Sasuke sighs in irritation from beside her.

"Hey chibi! Don't do anything confusing!" Tazuna yells.

"Huh? I sense a presence there! No, over here?!" Naruto says as he looks around. Kakashi suddenly glares at his side and Naruto throws a kunai at the same direction Kakashi is looking.

"Stop it already!" Sakura says in annoyance as she hits Naruto in the head. Naruto holds his head.

"S-Someone's really been targeting us the whole time!" Naruto insists.

"Yeah, right!" Sakura says, "Knock it off!"

Kakashi moves towards the place where Naruto throws his kunai and finds that the kunai has narrowly escaped a white rabbit's head. Everyone moves to follow Kakashi.

"Naruto! Look what you've done!"

"Ah! It's a bunny!" Naruto frantically runs forward and hugs the rabbit to his chest, "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry, bunny."

"It's just a rabbit, eh…?" Tazuna says. Reika frowns. _A white furred snow rabbit… when it's not even winter? And it's broad daylight. There's no reason for a snow rabbit's coat to turn white when it's not winter and there's so much sunlight. Unless… it was raised where there's no sunlight. But for what purpose?_

"Everyone, get down!" Kakashi suddenly says. Reika doesn't think and ducked, pulling Tazuna with her. Suddenly, a big sword swirls over their heads, aimed at Tazuna. It spins until it hits a tree. A tall black haired man with bandages wrapped around his mouth wearing a striped pants and black and white arm and leg warmers then stands on top of the hilt of the sword, his back facing them. Reika stands up and helps Tazuna do the same. She can see a Kirigakure hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead.

"Well, well… if it isn't the nuke-nin of Kirigakure, Momochi Zabuza-kun!" Kakashi says, sounding sarcastically happy. Reika recognizes that name. She read about him once in a Bingo Book she 'borrowed' from an unsuspecting Jounin. Reika mentally sighs. _First those two Kiri Chuunins, now Momochi Zabuza? Some C-rank mission…_

Naruto suddenly runs towards Zabuza until Kakashi stops him, "You're in the way," he says, "Get back, you guys."

"Why?!" Naruto protests.

"He's on a totally different level from the guys from the other day," Kakashi says lowly. He then places a hand on his hitai-ate, ready to take it off his left eye, and Team 7's eyes widen. This is going to be the first time they've ever seen Kakashi's left eye.

"I assume you are Kakashi of the Sharingan…" Zabuza says. Reika and Sasuke jump at the information, "Sorry, but… I'll have you hand over the old man."

"Get in Manji battle formation, guys," Kakashi commands, "Protect Tazuna-san… and don't involve yourselves in the fight. That's the teamwork in this situation," Kakashi finally lifts his hitai-ate all the way and a scarred left eye is visible. He then opens his left eye and Reika flinches when she sees a familiar red sclera with three tomoe surrounding its pupil, "Fight me."

"Well, now… I never expected to see the rumored Sharingan this soon… this is an honor," Zabuza says.

"Everyone's been saying Sharingan, Sharingan… what is it?!" Naruto asks.

"…Sharingan," Sasuke starts, "Power that the light of the eye generates, and the pupil emanates. The user of the doujutsu is said to possess the vision to see through all genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu, and is able to deflect them. The Sharingan is a type of eye that is unique to the user of the doujutsu. However, that is not the only power of the Sharingan."

"Well said," Zabuza says, "That is not all. What's more frightening is that such an eye can assess an opponent's jutsu and copy them."

 _Well, he's quite knowledgeable about the Sharingan…_ Reika thinks. All of a sudden, they are surrounded by a thick fog.

"When I was in the Kiri ANBU Black Ops, search information about you was in the Bingo Book I would carry around with me. There was also something else in the book about the man who has copied over one thousand jutsu… Kakashi the Copy Ninja."

 _I've had a feeling that Kakashi-sensei hasn't been showing us his real skills, but I didn't know he's that incredible…_ Reika thinks. _But then again… how is it possible that he actually has Sharingan when he's not even an Uchiha? Not even all Uchiha clan members have the Sharingan… the probability of Kakashi-sensei being an Uchiha is low… no Uchiha has hair that bright. So how…?_

"W-Wow- _ttebayo_!" Naruto exclaims.

"Let's end the talking here," Zabuza says as he crouches on top of his suspended sword, "I must kill that old man immediately."

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Reika immediately takes the Manji battle formation, with Sakura taking Tazuna's right flank, Naruto on his left, Sasuke and Reika taking center, with Sasuke in front of Tazuna and Reika behind him, back-to-back with Tazuna. They each have a kunai ready in their hands.

"But Kakashi, it seems I have to defeat you first."

Zabuza quickly pulls out his sword from the tree and disappears. Not even Reika's trained eye can catch his movement because of the thick mist. Reika notices him standing on top of a nearby lake.

"Over there!" Naruto exclaims.

"And he's even on the water?" Sakura says with wide eyes.

Zabuza makes a hand seal as he stands on top of the lake. Droplets of water start to surround him. Even though she's not a Sensor Type, Reika can tell that he's building up a lot of chakra. Reika keeps her eyes on him, but all of a sudden he disappears, a leaf sits on top of the water as though replacing him.

"He's vanished?" Naruto says. Kakashi approaches the lake slowly.

"Sensei!"

"He'll probably come to erase me first…" Kakashi says calmly.

"What is he?" Sakura asks, fear audible in her voice.

"…Momochi Zabuza," Reika starts, reciting what she remembers from an entry in the Bingo Book she read, "He's a member of ANBU Black Ops in Kirigakure and is known as the expert of 'the silent killing' technique."

"S-Silent…?" Naruto asks.

"As the name suggests…" Kakashi continues where Reika left off, "It's a killing skill that's implemented in an instant in silence. By the time your realize it, it's possible you may find yourself in the afterlife. I haven't totally mastered the use of my Sharingan, so don't lower your guard, guys."

Reika can practically feel Naruto and Sakura's fear, while she can clearly sense that her twin is still quite calm.

"Well, if we fail, we'll only die," Kakashi says.

Reika rolls her eyes. _Well, he's right…_

"How can you be so carefree?!" Sakura asks incredulously. Reika reaffirms her stance when she notices that the mist has gotten thicker. Naruto also notices this.

"The Land of Waves is surrounded by ocean, so mist rises very easily," Tazuna explains.

"Sensei!" Sakura says all of a sudden. Reika looks to her left, where she remembers Kakashi was, but finds him nowhere.

"Eight spots," Reika suddenly hears, "Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian veins, kidneys, heart… now then, which vulnerable spot would be good?" Reika flinches as the grip on her kunai tightens even more.

All of a sudden, she feels a burst of chakra from behind her, but she resists the urge to look. But then she frowns when she feels that Sasuke is in distress. She knows what he's afraid of. The burst of chakra from earlier exudes such powerful intent to kill and thirst for blood, and Reika is sure that Sasuke feels it too and is reminded of something else. _Nii-san…_

"Sasuke," Kakashi suddenly says. Sasuke immediately snaps out of his thoughts, "Don't worry. I'll protect you guys with my life. I will _not_ allow my comrades to get killed."

Reika calms down her rapid breathing. She didn't know when her breathing started to pick up, but Kakashi's words seem to calm both her and Sasuke.

"I wonder about that…" suddenly a voice says. Reika turns around to see that Zabuza is standing in front of Tazuna, "It's over."

Kakashi immediately steps in front of Zabuza and stops him, pushing him towards Tazuna. Reika drags Tazuna to the side as fast as she could. She turns back around to see Kakashi has his kunai inside Zabuza's abdomen, but instead of blood, he's dripping water.

"It's a water clone," Reika says with wide eyes. _That means…!_ Reika looks behind Kakashi and finds another Zabuza ready to kill her sensei.

"Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto warns. The clone in front of Kakashi turns into water and Zabuza slashes Kakashi across his abdomen, but the Kakashi in front of him also turns into water. Reika's eyes widen. _He copied that jutsu already? W-When? How? In the middle of this mist?_

"Don't move," suddenly Kakashi reappears behind Zabuza, a kunai against his throat, "It's over."

"W-Wow!" Naruto exclaims. Sakura is smiling in relief. Zabuza is suddenly chuckling darkly.

"Did you say it's over?" Zabuza asks, "You don't understand, do you? You won't be able to beat me by making me look like a monkey. Not a chance," Zabuza chuckles again, "But, I must say you're good. My _Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu_ (Water Clone Jutsu) was being copied at that point with those pretty words… by letting the clone talk as if it were you, you succeeded in distracting me. And you used _Kirigakure no Jutsu_ (Hidden Mist Jutsu) to hide yourself to see what I was doing… but…" Reika's eyes widen when yet another Zabuza appears behind Kakashi, "I'm no fool."

The Zabuza in front of Kakashi disperses into water. The Zabuza behind Kakashi starts to swing his big sword, but Kakashi ducks to avoid it. The sword impales the ground, and Zabuza turns around to use the sword as a leverage and kicks Kakashi into the air. Reika can see that Zabuza is going to attack Tazuna, but he stops in front of some spikes. He then jumps into the lake.

"His taijutsu skills are also extremely good," Sasuke says. Kakashi resurfaces, but he doesn't move towards the ground.

Zabuza suddenly shows up behind him and makes hand seals, "Hmph. Fool! _Suirou no Jutsu_ (Water Prison Jutsu)!"

All of a sudden Kakashi is trapped inside a bubble of water. Zabuza chuckles, "You're caught… it's a special prison that makes it impossible for you to escape! It makes things harder having you able to act. Now… Kakashi. I'll have to settle things with you later. First I'll finish those guys off," Zabuza says as he turns to look at Tazuna and Team 7. He makes a hand seal with one hand as his right one is holding Kakashi's prison, and a clone appears in front of him.

Naruto flinches, and Zabuza laughs, "You're acting big, wearing a hitai-ate like a ninja… but… a real ninja is one who has hovered between life and death numerous times. In other words, only those who are worth being listed in my Bingo Book deserve to be called ninja," he makes another hand seal with his left hand, "Guys like you can't be called real ninja."

Zabuza disappears in a thick fog, suddenly he appears in front of Naruto and kicks him away until his hitai-ate falls from his forehead. Zabuza then steps on the fallen Konoha hitai-ate and says, "You're just a kid!"

Sasuke, Sakura, and Reika look at Naruto's thrown body with wide eyes, "Naruto!" Sakura exclaims.

"You four!" Kakashi suddenly says, "Take Tazuna-san and run! You have no chance against this guy! As long as he has me trapped in this water prison, he won't be able to move from here, and he shouldn't be able to use the water clone if he's far enough away from his real body. In any case, just run for now!"

None of them are listening to Kakashi's words because they're all trembling in fear. Reika bites her lower lip and shakes her head. _No, there's no way we'll survive even if we run. He'll catch up to us in no time. The second you got caught, Kakashi-sensei, our only option is to stay and rescue you._

Suddenly, Sasuke runs forward and throws five shurikens towards Zabuza, who deflects them with his sword in one swipe. Sasuke then jumps and tries to stab Zabuza with a kunai, but Zabuza sees his movement and catches him by the neck and throws him away. Reika's hand twitches.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura and Reika screams at the same time. Reika notices that Zabuza is walking towards Tazuna with his sword in his hand, and Reika whispers to the old man.

"Tazuna-san… I'm sorry for this," Reika says. She grabs Tazuna by the arm and when Zabuza swings his sword, his eyes widen when he only stabs a shadow. He turns to look to his left and sees Tazuna and Reika already beside Sakura.

"That's quite an impressive speed for a Genin," Zabuza says, "But speed alone isn't going to defeat me, little girl."

Sakura jumps when she realizes that Reika and Tazuna are already beside her. She was already shaken because of the thought of Zabuza getting his hands on Tazuna, but all of a sudden he's beside her already, Reika holding onto his arm. _S-So fast! When did she…?_

Reika sighs in temporary relief when she sees Sasuke standing in front of her, Tazuna, and Sakura. From her point of view, she can see that Naruto is clearly still shaking in fear, but all of a sudden he stands up and there's a new kind of determination in his eyes. Suddenly he dashes towards Zabuza.

"Y-You fool! Stop it!" Kakashi shouts in panic. Reika's eyes widen.

"Naruto! What are you thinking?!" Sakura laments.

Zabuza scoffs, "Fool…"

Reika winces when Naruto is punched until he is thrown back a couple of meters, stopping right in front of where Tazuna, Sakura, Sasuke, and Reika are standing.

"What are you thinking charging off on your own?!" Sakura reprimands him, "Even Sasuke-kun is no match for him… no matter how hard we try, we Genins are no match for him…"

She's cut off by Naruto slowly rising up back on his feet. Reika's eyes widen when she sees what is in Naruto's hand. His hitai-ate. _He charged forward just to get it back? What an idiot… he could've gotten seriously hurt_.

"Hey, you no-brow… record in your Bingo Book about the man who will one day become Konohagakure's Hokage," Naruto puts his hitai-ate on, "Konoha-style ninja, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Reika's eyes widen, but then she smirks. _Trust him to be so reckless… but if he isn't, he's not Naruto, I guess._

"Sasuke!" Naruto suddenly says, "Lend me your ear!"

"What is it?"

"I have a plan."

"Hn. You're talking of teamwork?"

Naruto smirks as he wipes the blood that is dripping from his mouth. He has a wild look on his face. Reika stands in front of Tazuna, continuing to protect him. If she can't be useful in Naruto's plan, might as well make herself useful for the mission.

 _Whatever Naruto's plan is, it better be good enough to remove Zabuza's water clone and distract Zabuza's real self enough for Kakashi-sensei to be released from that prison…_

"Now, let's get wild!" Naruto says.

Zabuza chuckles, "Such loud snorting, but do you have a winning plan?"

"What are you guys doing?! I told you to run!" Kakashi screams, "It was obvious what was going to happen once I was caught! Hurry and run! Listen to me, our mission is to protect Tazuna-san! Have you forgotten that?!"

Naruto looks at Tazuna with pleading eyes, "Old man…" Reika also peeks at Tazuna from beside him.

"Well…" Tazuna scoffs, "This is a seed that I planted… I can't say that I want my life to be spared. Sorry, guys… fight as much as you want!"

Sasuke smirks, "Hn. You hear that?"

"Are you ready?" Naruto asks.

Zabuza chuckles until it turns into a full blown laughter, "You guys really haven't learned anything, have you?"

"W-What?!"

"You're still playing ninja? When I was your age, this hand was already stained red with blood!" Zabuza says as he looks at his right hand. Reika flinches. So what she read about Kirigakure's history could be right.

"Zabuza, the Demon," Kakashi suddenly says.

"Oh…? It seems that you've heard of me," Zabuza says.

"A long time ago…" Reika starts. Her teammates turn to look at her, "Kirigakure no Sato (Hidden Mist Village) was often called Chigiri no Sato (Blood Mist Village) because of the graduation exams. Ninja who wanted to become Genin are pitted against each other in a fight to the death," Team 7's eyes widen.

"Oh? Someone's done their homework," Zabuza says with a dark chuckle, "She's right. Classmates who had shared rice from the same pot, partners who used to talk about each other's dreams and aspirations, formed pairs and tried to kill each other. It didn't end until one of them died."

"H-How cruel…" Sakura says.

"Ten years ago, Kirigakure's graduation exam was forced to undergo a drastic reform because of the appearance of an evil demon on the scene the previous year," Kakashi says.

"Reform? What about the reform? What had that evil demon done?" Sakura asks.

"Without hesitation, the young boy who didn't have the qualifications of being a ninja annihilated over a hundred examinees."

"That sure was fun…" Zabuza says. He then shoots a look at Team 7, and they all flinch with eyes wide.

Zabuza then dashes forward, but before Reika can warn him, Sasuke is thrown back by Zabuza, who then elbows Sasuke on his torso. Reika's hand twitches when she sees her twin brother cough out blood. Reika grits her teeth when Zabuza steps on Sasuke's body.

"Die!"

"Damn it! _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_!"

Multiple Narutos surround Zabuza, and Zabuza looks at them one by one as he steps off Sasuke, "Oh, shadow clones, and there are quite a few of them."

Each of the Narutos has a kunai in their hands. They look at Zabuza and say, "Here I go!" as they jump and surround Zabuza. But Zabuza uses his sword to deflect all of them, and Reika can only watch as Naruto's shadow clones disperse one by one.

"It's impossible after all…" Tazuna says in defeat, "There's no way you can defeat that guy!"

The real Naruto reaches into his backpack. _There's only one way left to defeat this guy!_ He pulls out a Fuuma shuriken and throws it at Sasuke, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke catches it in his hand and his eyes widen in realization. _I get it… so that's your plan, Naruto!_ He then unfurls the shuriken and says, " _Fuuma Shuriken: Kage Fuusha_ (Wind Demon Shuriken: Shadow Windmill)!"

"A shuriken won't work on me," Zabuza says.

Sasuke jumps into the air and throws the shuriken with all his might, but then the shuriken misses Zabuza and runs its course towards the real Zabuza holding Kakashi prisoner. But the real Zabuza catches the shuriken with his free hand with ease. All of a sudden, another shuriken comes towards him. Zabuza jumps over the second shuriken. Before Reika can panic, she sees the smirk on Sasuke's face, and focuses on the second shuriken. Her eyes widen when it turns into Naruto, who throws a kunai at Zabuza, breaking his concentration.

Kakashi is then freed from the water prison, but Zabuza uses the Fuuma shuriken in his hand to aim at Naruto. But then Kakashi uses his hand to stop Zabuza from throwing the shuriken. Reika flickers towards Naruto before he could fall into the water and brings him back ashore, a little far from the lake. Reika flinches when she feels a strong killing intent coming from Kakashi.

"Naruto… your strategy was outstanding. You've grown up, both of you," Kakashi says.

Naruto laughs, "The purpose of the shadow clones was not to take on Zabuza, but to hide my transformation into Fuuma shuriken- _ttebayo_! I left one clone behind, then transformed into Fuuma shuriken, then a clone threw the real me, who had transformed into Fuuma shuriken towards Sasuke! When Sasuke got me, he must've realized right away who I was, and he took out his own shuriken, making _Kage Shuriken no Jutsu_ (Shadow Shuriken Jutsu)! Hidden in the shadow of the real shuriken, I aimed for Zabuza. Of course, I didn't think I would defeat Zabuza, but I thought I'd destroy the water prison, and as a bonus I defeated his water clone too… it was a huge success!" he explains proudly.

Reika smirks. _Well, he deserves to be proud. He actually managed to free Kakashi-sensei and defeated the water clone when none of us couldn't._ Reika then frowns. _I didn't think about that. I guess I still have a lot to improve. It's impressive how they work well together despite the fact that they absolutely loathe each other_.

"That was a fluke," Sasuke says.

"It was a fluke, huh?!" Tazuna says in annoyance.

"Hmph. I got distracted and broke my water prison…"

"That's not it," Kakashi says, cutting Zabuza off, " _You_ didn't break the jutsu… they _forced_ you to break it. I'll tell you now, the same jutsu won't work on me twice. So what will you do?"

"Naruto," Reika says as she pulls out a kunai, "Stay alert."

"I understand- _ttebayo_ ," Naruto says as he does the same.

Zabuza then refolds the Fuuma shuriken in his hand and presses it on to Kakashi's hand. Even with the metal on top of his fingerless gloves, Reika can still see blood dripping from his hand. Kakashi deflects Zabuza's hand and the shuriken is thrown into the air. Kakashi and Zabuza jumps backwards at the same time, and Zabuza makes a hand seal. Reika can see that Kakashi's left eye is focusing on his movements.

"Sharingan…!" Reika says under her breath. Her eyes widen in amazement when Zabuza and Kakashi lands on top of the lake at the same time, and Kakashi follows the exact same hand seals Zabuza is making. They both end with a bird seal and the water in the middle of them ripples as they shout at the same time.

" _Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu_ (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu)!"

The water in the middle of them turns into two huge water dragons that clash against each other, sending huge waves of water to the ground. Reika flinches as water crashes against her body, almost sending her backwards as her knees buckle in fear. If it wasn't for Naruto holding her back, she would've been washed away. One of the dragons bite the other and a burst of water shoots out from the bite. Underneath the dragon, Zabuza and Kakashi are facing off against each other, sword against kunai.

 _Incredible… Kakashi-sensei managed to copy the exact same signs at the same time… as though he knows what sign Zabuza is going to make._

Zabuza and Kakashi jumps backwards again and they start to circle each other. Reika's eyes widen as Kakashi mimics each and every one of Zabuza's moves perfectly at the exact same time.

"…reading them," Kakashi suddenly says. Reika frowns as Zabuza's eyes widen in shock, "…giving me that barren, evil eye… right?"

Reika's eyes widen in realization. _Kakashi-sensei is giving him the impression that he can read his mind!_

"Ha! You're just copying… you're a pale imitation," Zabuza says.

"You won't be able to beat me! You bastard!" Zabuza and Kakashi say at the same time. Reika can clearly see that Zabuza is irritated.

"I'll shut that copycat monkey-mouth permanently!" Zabuza says as he goes through multiple hand seals.

As Zabuza gets distracted, Kakashi finishes his own hand seals first and says, " _Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu_ (Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu)!"

The water underneath Kakashi starts to spin around Kakashi's feet and rises up until it turns into a huge wave that attacks Zabuza. It cascades through the ground like a huge waterfall. The force of the water creates a wild wind and Reika struggles to keep her footing. This is the very definition of Reika's least favorite kind of body of water; huge, and unpredictable. Reika is actually shaking in fear.

Zabuza finally stops in front of a tree, and Kakashi throws several kunais to his body to immobilize him.

"It's over…" Kakashi says from atop the tree where Zabuza is.

"Rei-chan… calm down," Naruto says from beside Reika. She jumps when she feels Naruto's hand on her shoulder, and she realizes that her breathing had picked up. She takes a deep breath and runs a hand through her hair, finally feeling herself relax just a little bit. After Shisui passed, Reika finds running a hand through her hair calms her down, as Shisui used to ruffle her hair whenever she pouts.

"…Sorry," Reika says as she looks down to the ground with a self-deprecating smile on her face. Naruto shakes his head with a grin.

"Why…?" Zabuza asks, "Are you able to see into the future…?"

"Yeah…" Kakashi says, a kunai ready in his hand, "You're going to die!"

Suddenly two senbons stab Zabuza in his neck, and he falls as he bleeds from the wound. Reika's eyes widen in shock. She looks at the direction where the senbons come from, and someone in a blue kimono, striped turtle-necked undershirt, and mask with Kirigakure symbol on its forehead with long black bangs is standing on top of a tree branch.

The person laughs, "You were right. He died."

Kakashi jumps from the branch and steps beside Zabuza's immobile body. He checks for a pulse from his jugular, and then he looks at Reika, "Reika! Come here!"

Reika, who's still shocked from both the amount of water she had to face just today and at the attacker, jumps at the call, "Yes!" Reika then walks towards Zabuza and checks for a pulse from his jugular, his wrists, and his heartbeat. She sighs when she says, "He's dead."

The ninja who attacked Zabuza bows at Kakashi and says, "Thank you. I have been waiting for the chance to kill Zabuza."

"By the looks of that mask… you're a Kirigakure oi-nin," Kakashi says.

"Impressive. You're very knowledgeable."

"Oi-nin?!" Naruto asks with a frown.

"You don't know what an oi-nin is?" Sakura asks, "We learned it at the Academy, didn't we? Oi-nins pursue guys like Zabuza who turn against the village where they were born and raised. And when they break away from the village, oi-nins go after these nuke-nin and assassinate them in order to avoid having the secrets of the village being leaked. That's common knowledge! You should study more!"

"That's right. I'm a member of Kirigakure no Sato's Tracker Unit whose mission is to hunt nuke-nins."

Naruto suddenly dashes forward and looks between the oi-nin and Zabuza's body multiple times, until he asks angrily, "What _are_ you- _ttebayo_?! Hey!"

"Don't worry, Naruto. He's not an enemy," Kakashi says.

"That's not what I'm asking! I… I mean… That Zabuza… That Zabuza was killed!" Naruto rants as Kakashi walks towards him, "That guy who was so strong… was killed so easily… by a kid who's no different from me! We're… we're pathetic!"

Reika looks down at Zabuza's body with a frown. _He's not wrong. We_ are _pathetic_.

"I can't accept that!"

"Well… I understand your disbelief," Kakashi says calmly in contrast to Naruto's fiery rant, "But… this, too, is reality," Kakashi then puts a hand on top of Naruto's head, "In this world, there are kids who are younger than you _and_ stronger than me."

Naruto glares at the oi-nin once again with a petulant look in his face. The oi-nin flickers to Zabuza's body, and Reika stands up from where she was. He lifts Zabuza's body and says, "Your battle is over for now. I must get rid of this corpse because it contains many secrets. Now then, please excuse me."

He then flickers away in a gust of wind. Reika frowns. _Wait… why would he bring the corpse with him…? Isn't he supposed to…?_

But her train of thought is stopped by Naruto punching the ground and cursing at it. Again, Kakashi stops him.

"Things like this happen when you're a ninja. If you're frustrated, apply it next time!" Naruto seems to have calmed down a bit, and Kakashi turns to look at Tazuna, Sasuke, ad Sakura, "Our mission hasn't ended yet. We must take Tazuna-san home."

Tazuna then laughs out loud, "So sorry, everyone! You can rest at my house!"

"Okay! Let's perk up and go!" Kakashi says. But Reika's eyes widen when Kakashi suddenly stops. Before he could hit the ground, she catches Kakashi in her arms as he passes out. She grunts at the weight of her sensei. Curse her for not being so strong. She then lays Kakashi on the ground slowly and proceeds to check what's wrong.

"What's wrong?!" Sakura asks as Reika checks his vitals.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto calls out. Reika sighs in relief when she finds out what the problem is.

"It's chakra exhaustion. I don't think he's equipped to use the Sharingan for so long…" Reika turns to look at Sasuke and Naruto, "I'm gonna need your help, boys."


	7. Chapter 7

The second they arrive in Tazuna's house, Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, shows them to a guest room. Reika then asks Naruto and Sasuke, who carried Kakashi's unconscious body, to lay him down on a futon that Tsunami laid out. Reika then proceeds to heal whatever injuries Kakashi has sustained, but ultimately, she can only leave it to Kakashi to recover his depleted chakra.

When Kakashi groans, Reika gives him a small, relieved smile, "You're awake, sensei. How are you feeling?"

"…not too good. I don't think I'll be able to move much for about a week…" Kakashi says as he tries to sit up.

"Well, it's better if you just lay down for now, then," Reika says. She turns to look at the door when she hears the tell-tale of her teammates' footsteps.

"Ah! Sensei's awake- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says loudly.

"Come on… your Sharingan is fantastic, but if it puts that much of a strain on your body, it may not be worth it!" Sakura scolds as she sits beside Kakashi from across Reika.

"S-Sorry…"

"But, you know… he did take down a real powerful ninja like that! We probably don't need to worry for a while," Tazuna comments.

"Anyway, that kid with the mask… what was he?" Sakura wonders. Reika bites her lower lip in thought. She decides to just ask.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

"Hmm? What is it, Reika?"

"That oi-nin… was a part of ANBU Black Ops from Kirigakure, right?"

"Yes… they belong to an elite Ninja Tracking Unit. They're commonly called the 'fire extinguishing corps', and their duty is to erase all traces that a ninja ever lived. The body of the ninja reveals a variety of things: ninjutsu secrets and chakra characteristics which permeate the ninja of their village, the composition of secret medicines used on a ninja's body. For instance, if I were to die, every secret about my Sharingan would be investigated thoroughly, and in the worst case, there's a danger that my entire jutsu could be stolen. In other words, oi-nins are specialists who prevent village secrets from leaking out by killing nuke-nins who've run away from their village and completely eliminating their bodies."

Reika frowns as she listens to Kakashi's explanation, "But…" everyone in the room turns to look at Reika, "…from what I read about oi-nins… their job requires them to take care of the bodies of people they've killed immediately and on the spot. They're supposed to just bring back the head as a proof that their job is done. Does that mean…?"

"What? What are you guys talking about?" Naruto asks.

Kakashi turns to look at his students and asks, "What did that kid with the mask do with Zabuza?"

"How should we know?! That masked one took Zabuza away!" Sakura exclaims.

"Exactly… as Reika said, if he needed proof that Zabuza is dead, he could simply have taken his head. Not to mention the weapon that oi-nin used to kill Zabuza…"

"A regular senbon," Sasuke says. Then his eyes widen in realization, "Impossible…"

"Yes…" Kakashi and Reika have dark looks on their faces. Naruto looks confused.

"What have you guys been clamoring on and on about?!"

"There's a huge possibility that… Zabuza is still alive," Kakashi says. Naruto, Sakura and Tazuna look flabbergasted.

"What the heck do you mean- _ttebayo_?!"

"Kakashi-sensei, didn't you and Reika made sure that he was dead?!"

"It's true that I made sure of it. I even made Reika check just to be really sure of it. But he was probably just in a state of near-death," Kakashi explains.

"Senbons are small and thin, with a very low ability to kill, unless it hits a vital spot," Reika pulls out her own senbon from her pouch, "It's something that was originally used for medical treatments such as acupuncture therapy. Oi-nins are well-versed in the structure of the human body. They should know easily which pressure point to hit to put someone in a near-death state."

"First, he went to the trouble of taking Zabuza's corpse which was probably heavier than he is. Second, he used a senbon, a weapon with low ability to kill. From these two factors, that kid wasn't aiming to kill Zabuza, but to save him."

"Aren't you reading too much into it?" Tazuna asks.

"No… if something seems fishy, make preparations before it's too late. That's also an iron clad rule of the shinobi."

Reika turns to look at her teammates and raises an eyebrow when she sees Naruto looking excited. She sighs. _Don't tell me he's excited at the prospect of defeating Zabuza for real this time?_

"Sensei, what do we do to make preparation before it's too late?" Sakura asks, "You won't even be able to move for a while…"

But then Kakashi laughs. He then looks at his students one by one, "I'll assign you training!"

"W-Wait a minute! Even with training, we're not gonna be that strong!" Sakura says, "Our opponent is a ninja whom even Kakashi-sensei, with the Sharingan, had a tough fight with!" _Are you trying to kill us?! Shannaro!_ Sakura thinks.

"Sakura…" Kakashi starts, "Who was it that saved me during my difficult battle? You've all quickly grown… especially Naruto!" Naruto looks up at Kakashi, who smiles at him, "You've grown the most!"

Naruto looks happy at Kakashi's praise, "So you noticed, Kakashi-sensei! Now it's getting interesting- _ttebayo_!"

"It's not interesting at all."

Team 7 and Kakashi turn to look at the door, where the childish voice comes from. A child wearing a green overall and a yellow shirt underneath with a white hat with blue stripes and dark hair stands in front of the room.

"Who the heck are you?" Naruto asks.

"Oh, Inari! Where have you been?!" Tazuna says as he opens his arms wide. The kid – Inari – runs into Tazuna's arms and hugs him.

"Welcome home, Jii-chan!"

"Inari, what kind of greeting is that?!" Tsunami scolds Inari, "These are the ninjas who escorted your grandpa!"

"It's okay, it's okay… right, Inari?"

But the kid continues to glare at team 7. He then turns to look at Tsunami, "Kaa-chan, these guys will die…" Reika's eyes widen at the kid's words, "There's no way they can oppose Gato and win."

"What did you say, little brat?!" Naruto asks in irritation. He then points at Inari, "Now listen up! I'm a super hero who's gonna become an awesome ninja called Hokage in the future! I don't know if it's Gato or Chocolate or whatever… I'm not worried about those guys at all!"

"Hmph. A hero. That's ridiculous! There's no such thing!" Inari says with a glare at Naruto.

"W-What did you say?!" Naruto says as he moves towards Inari. Sakura holds him back before he could do anything to the child.

"Stop that!"

Reika sighs in exasperation. _He's debating with a kid… how childish can he be?_

"If you don't want to die, you'd better hurry up and go home…" Inari says as he walks towards the door.

"Where are you going, Inari?" Tazuna asks. Inari opens the door and turns to look at his grandfather.

"The sea… I'll be looking at the sea."

Inari then leaves the room, and Tazuna sighs, "I apologize," he says. Suddenly Naruto leaves the room through the same door and Reika sighs again as she turns to look at Kakashi.

"In any case, you should get some rest, Kakashi-sensei. Zabuza must also be recuperating right now, so if you can get better faster than him, we may have a better chance at defeating him."

xXx

The next day, Team 7 stands in the middle of a forest near Tazuna's house. Kakashi is using crutches made by Tazuna to help him walk as he's still too weak to walk on his own. He smiles at his students as he says, "So now the training begins!"

"Yes, sir!" Naruto exclaims in excitement.

"Before that… let me again explain chakra power for a ninja, from the basics," Kakashi says.

"At this point…" Sasuke says with a hand on his hip.

"Of course we know about that! Chatora, right?" Naruto says confidently.

Kakashi hangs his head with a sigh, "It's chakra… won't you explain, Sakura?"

Sakura then proceeds to explain what chakra is from the very beginning. Reika yawns as she hears the explanation. It's not that Sakura's explanation is boring, she's just explaining something Reika has known and understood for the past years. Not to mention she hasn't had enough sleep because of nightmares yet again.

"That's exactly right!" Kakashi says after Sakura finishes her crash course on chakra, "Iruka-sensei really does have good students," Sakura has a proud smile on her face at Kakashi's praise.

"Whatever! I may not understand difficult explanations, but I'll just learn it with my body!" Naruto says.

"Naruto is right…" Sasuke says. Reika's eyebrows jump in surprise at Sasuke's words. _Uchiha Sasuke, agreeing with Uzumaki Naruto? Is the sky falling?!_ "We're already able to use jutsu…"

"No. All of you still haven't used chakra efficiently," Kakashi refutes.

"What?!"

"Hold on and listen… as Sakura explained earlier, combining chakra means picking up both the physical and spiritual energies and mixing them together within the body. And of course, the amount of each energy, the preparation of the energy changes based on the jutsu you want to activate. All of you right now aren't using chakra efficiently. Even if you're able to combine a lot of chakra, if you're not able to control it in a balanced way, the effectiveness of the jutsu not only will be cut in half, but it may not even be activated at all. Wasting energy will prevent you from battling for long periods. These are some of the weaknesses that can occur."

 _So… we're going to learn how to control our chakra, huh? It should be easy for me, considering medical ninjutsu requires extreme level of control over our chakra._

"W-What should we do…?" Naruto asks.

"You need to learn to control the chakra with your body!" Kakashi says. _Bingo_ , Reika thinks, "It's a difficult training that requires you to put your life on the line to master!" _Exactly. It definitely required_ me _to put my life on the line the first time I learned how to control my chakra…_

"W-What will we do?" Sakura asks carefully.

"Hm?" Kakashi says lazily. _Please don't say…_ "Tree-climbing," _Damn it!_ Reika clicks her tongue at Kakashi's words as she crosses her arms in front of her chest, looking away in disgust. Kakashi notices this, but doesn't comment.

"Tree-climbing?!" Naruto and Sakura exclaim in surprise.

"That's right!" Kakashi says, "But it's not just simple tree-climbing! You will climb without using your hands."

"Eh? How?" Sakura asks.

"Well, just watch," Kakashi says. He then makes a hand seal and proceeds to walk towards a tree nearest to him and places his foot on the bark of the tree. He then walks upwards the tree, defying gravity, with the help of his crutches.

"He's climbing…"

"…perpendicular to the tree and with his feet!"

Kakashi continues to walk until he stands upside down on a tree branch. Reika shudders at the sight. There is _no way_ she's going through tree-climbing exercises again!

The first time she learned medical ninjutsu, one of her masters in the hospital told her to train her control over her chakra by tree-climbing. She doesn't mind training to control her chakra; considering her low chakra reserve, more control over it would be advantageous to her. She just doesn't like the method of training. She remembers being extremely relieved when she managed to climb the tallest tree in the forest near the Uchiha compound. But her relief is short-lived, as the next training was water-walking. Why should chakra control training be so hard on her?!

"So see, kind of like this…" Kakashi says, "Focus the chakra on the bottoms of your feet and make them stick to the tree trunk. If you use chakra well, you can do things like this."

"Wait a minute! How does something like that make you strong?" Sakura asks.

"The aim of this training is to accumulate the required amount of combined chakra to the required spot," Reika explains from beside Sakura, her other teammates turn to look at her, "The amount of chakra used for tree-climbing is very subtle, and the bottoms of the feet are the most difficult place to gather chakra," she takes a deep breath before continuing, "In other words, if you master that control, in theory it will be possible to master any jutsu."

"She's right. The second aim is to maintain that combined chakra. Ninja combine the most chakra during battles. Under such situations, control and maintenance of chakra becomes most difficult. So anyway…" Kakashi sighs, "Nothing's really gonna happen with me saying this and that… you'll need to learn it with your bodies."

Kakashi then throws four kunais to the ground right in front of Sasuke, Naruto, Reika, and Sakura, "Use that kunai to put a mark at the spot where you can climb up to under your own strength now. Next, make an effort to put a mark further from it. You're not good enough to walk up from the start, so I suggest using a running start and use your momentum to get used to it… got it?"

Reika sighs in resignation, reluctantly accepting her fate. She takes the kunai from the ground and looks around for a tree that is not too tall. After she manages to find an ideal tree, she makes a hand seal and runs up the tree like Kakashi suggested. It's not like she's going to fall if she walks; she just wants to end this training as quickly as possible.

 _Don't look down… don't look down…_ Reika continues the chant in her head, keeping her eyes straight to the front until she reached the highest branch. She stabs the bark of the tree close to her feet with the kunai and heaves a big sigh of relief when she sits on the branch. She then leans against the bark with her left leg up, her left arm situated on top of her knee, and the other dangling, whilst still trying her hardest not to look right below her.

She oversees Naruto, who slips and falls on his head after a couple of steps – _he's not using enough chakra_ , she thinks – and Sasuke, who creates a dent on the bark of the tree and flips backward to the ground after scratching the tree with his kunai – _he's using too much chakra_ , she thinks. _But where's Sakura?_

"Hey, this is pretty easy!" Sakura says.

Reika looks to her right and is surprised to see her pink-haired teammate sitting on top of a branch, a kunai stuck to the bark of the tree next to her.

"S-Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaims from the ground.

"Can I go back down now, sensei?" Reika asks with a sigh, leaning her head against the bark of the tree as she closes her eyes.

"Oh? It looks like the ones with the best control of the chakra are Sakura and Reika, the girls…" Kakashi comments casually.

"Wow! Way to go, Sakura-chan! Just what you'd expect from the girl I set my sights on!" Naruto says.

"Tch," Sasuke clicks his tongue as he glares at his sister. Reika opens her eyes and peeks at the corner of her eye and meets his glare, to which she smirks at. _At least there's_ something _I'm better at than you, nii-san._

"Well, not only does Sakura and Reika have the knowledge about chakra, their control and stamina are pretty good," _No, not really. My stamina sucks_ , Reika mentally corrects Kakashi, "It looks like… they might be the closest one to becoming a Hokage… unlike someone else."

Reika smirks at Kakashi's attempt to rile Naruto up.

"Also, the Uchiha clan isn't really that great…" _Well, I'd like to see you swallow your own words when you find out who I really am, sensei_ , Reika thinks, a smirk still stuck on her face.

"Shut up, sensei!" Sakura shouts, seemingly more offended than Sasuke and Reika, who are _actually_ members of the Uchiha clan.

"Can I just _please_ get down from here…?" Reika asks desperately. Kakashi looks at her in amusement.

"Well, you're a kunoichi with a lot of fears, aren't you, Reika-chan?" Kakashi asks with a mocking tone. Reika glares at Kakashi, but doesn't say anything to refute his words. She _does_ have fears, but she's human; she can't help having them. _He doesn't know anything about me._

"OK! First, I'll catch up to Sasuke! I'll do it, for sure- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says determinedly. Reika decides to just flicker back to the ground and sighs in relief when she feels sweet, sweet ground underneath her feet. She then sits on the ground, leaning against the tree she just climbed with the same position as she did on the tree; one leg up and the other down, an arm on top of her upright leg's knee and watches as Naruto falls again and again.

But of course, Kakashi – _The evil demon_ , Reika adds mentally – makes Team 7 practice again and again, including Sakura and Reika who already managed to reach the top of their respective trees. Reika, with her low chakra reserve and habit of using _Shunshin no Jutsu_ every time she wants to return to the ground, understandably gets tired much faster than Sakura does. She leans against her tree as she pants and looks on in envy as Sasuke and Naruto seem to still have more chakra to continue training.

 _Man, I'd love to have more chakra… it would be so useful…_

Naruto then approaches Sakura for pointers. She doesn't even think that Sasuke would lower his pride enough to actually ask _her_ for some tips. Reika then scrutinizes Naruto's and Sasuke's trees. Sasuke is infinitely better than Naruto, but interestingly enough, Sasuke seems to be more tired than Naruto. _And nii-san is quite the powerhouse…_ Reika looks at Naruto and frowns. _Naruto… just how powerful are you? Imagine what you can do if you're just a little bit better…_

xXx

Because Sakura and Reika have passed the tree-climbing training, they are in charge of guarding Tazuna as he works on the bridge the day after their training. _Well, as long as I don't have to walk on stinking water…_ Reika thinks as she yawns while ruffling her already messy hair, Sakura following suit with her own yawn.

"It looks like you've got some time to kill there, girls," Tazuna comments as he walks past them, a beam of steel on his shoulder, "What happened to that blond boy and that stuck-up boy?"

Reika leans on the railings of the bridge as she closes her eyes, her arms on the back of her head, "They're in the middle of the tree-climbing training," Sakura says.

"You two don't have to do that?"

"I'm exceptional, so Kakashi-sensei told me to guard you," Sakura says with a proud shrug. Reika sighs.

"Really?" Tazuna asks with doubt in his voice. Reika can tell that Sakura is mad, but Tazuna ignores her in favor of asking Reika, "What about you, broody girl?"

"I've had enough of that tree-climbing exercise, so I bailed on training," Reika says off-handedly, eyes still closed. She's half lying. She really _does_ have had enough of that exercise in her life.

"You got a minute, Tazuna?" Reika opens her eyes and straightens up when a worker approaches Tazuna.

"Huh? What's up, Giichi?" Tazuna asks.

"Uh, actually…" the worker, Giichi, looks away from Tazuna, but then he looks straight into Tazuna's eyes with resolve, "I gave it a lot of thought. Building this bridge… will you let me quit?"

"Why so suddenly? Not you too!" Tazuna exclaims.

"Tazuna, I've had a bond with you from the old days. I'd like to cooperate, but if we push it too far, Gato will set his sights on us, too. Also… if you get killed, everything is lost! Why don't you just stop building the bridge?" Giichi asks. Silence washes over them, until Tazuna breaks it.

"Not a chance… this is our bridge. This is the bridge that everyone in town has built believing that it would generate distribution and transportation for this poor Land of Waves that has few resources," Tazuna explains.

"But if it goes so far as to take our lives…"

"It's already afternoon… let's call it a day," Tazuna says as he walks away.

"Tazuna!"

Tazuna then stops in his tracks and turns to look at Giichi, "Giichi… you don't have to come back tomorrow," then he continues to walk away, Sakura and Reika's eyes following him.

xXx

"Say, where are we going?" Sakura asks as she and Reika walks along the busy town, following Tazuna.

"I was asked to get some ingredients for dinner on the way home," Tazuna says. Reika looks around the town and frowns when she sees various kinds of beggars and homeless kids. There was even a kid who ran after stealing a link of sausage. Tazuna wasn't kidding when he said that the Land of Waves is very poor, "We're here," Tazuna says as they arrive in front of a shop.

"Welcome…" the shopkeeper says. Reika and Sakura look around the shop and see that there aren't many choices of vegetables. Reika picks up a carrot and frowns when she finds out that even the available vegetables aren't in their best condition.

"You pervert!" Sakura screams as he kicks a man behind her. Reika jumps when she screams and winces when the man gets thrown against a wall. _Man, Sakura's really strong… I shouldn't get on her bad side._

Not long afterward, Tazuna, Reika, and Sakura continue on their journey back to Tazuna's house, "Man, I was really surprised earlier," Tazuna says.

"What is going on with this town?!" Sakura fumes. Suddenly she turns around again, seemingly mad about something. Reika follows her line of sight and finds a kid, with her palms up, saying "give me some!" with a huge smile on her face

Reika frowns in sympathy as she looks the kid up and down. She's wearing a long purple t-shirt and knee-length blue pants, but they look extremely worn and she's quite dirty. Sakura then takes a handful of candies from her bag and hands it to the little girl. She looks very happy as her eyes light up at the sight of the candies in her hands, and Reika's heart clenches. _They're just candies… but she's looking at it like it's the most precious thing she's ever seen in her life…_

The little girl thanks Sakura and runs off, "This is how it's been ever since Gato showed up," Tazuna says as Sakura wipes her teary eyes, "Here, the adults have turned into cowards."

Reika and Sakura turn to look into Tazuna's determined eyes, and they mirror that determination in their own eyes, "So that's why now that bridge is necessary. It's a symbol of bravery in order to restore their spirit, so they don't keep running away. For the people of this land who have set their minds on remaining passive. If we can just… complete that bridge…" Tazuna squeezes his hands in fists, "…this town will return to how it once was… and everyone will come back."

 _That bridge is that important… it's not just about the economic advantages, but it's very symbolic… no wonder Gato doesn't want it to be finished._

Tazuna goes silent and then he says, "Let's go home before Tsunami gets worried."

Reika and Sakura nod and follow Tazuna back home.

xXx

"Man, this is really fun!" Tazuna says at dinnertime, "It's been a long time since we've had a meal with this many people!"

 _I have to agree_ , Reika thinks as she sits beside Sakura, closest to Sasuke. _I can't remember the last time I've had dinner with someone other than nii-san. But…_ Reika sighs when she sees Naruto and Sasuke gobbling up food as fast as they can, glaring at each other as they ask for seconds, and throwing them up afterwards. _This is ruining my appetite…_

Finally, Sakura has had enough, "Stop eating if you're going to vomit!"

"I agree. You're ruining everyone's appetite," Reika says with a glare.

"No, I'll eat," Sasuke says as he wipes his mouth.

"I have to eat even if it means enduring," Naruto says with tears in his eyes, "Because I have to get strong as quickly as possible."

Kakashi nods, "Yes, yes… but vomiting is different."

But of course, the boys don't listen and they continue to gobble up their dinner. Afterwards, Tsunami serves them tea. Sakura then walks towards a wall with a picture hanging on the wall, the top right corner of it ripped, "Excuse me, why is there a torn picture hanging here?" Sakura asks, "Inari-kun was looking at this all this all through dinner. This torn part looks like someone who was in the picture was deliberately torn off."

Reika can see Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari flinch at Sakura's words. Tsunami then answers, "…it's my husband."

"He's a man who was once called a hero of this town…" Tazuna starts, as Inari silently leaves his seat.

"Inari! Where are you going?" Inari doesn't answer his mother as he leaves the dining room. Tsunami walks towards the door to follow him, but then turns before leaving the room, "Tou-san! I always told you not to talk about that person in front of Inari!"

Tazuna seems like he's going to burst into tears, "What are you saying happened with Inari?" Sakura wonders.

"It appears there's some kind of good reason," Kakashi says as he looks pointedly at Tazuna.

"Inari had a father not related by blood. It was like they were a real father and son who got along really well… back then, Inari was a child who laughed all the time… however…" Tazuna's body starts to shake as he starts to cry, "However… Inari has changed… ever since that incident with his father. The word bravery was eternally taken from the people of this island and from Inari… with that day, that incident, as the trigger."

"That incident? What happened to Inari-kun?" Kakashi asks.

"To explain the incident, I must first tell you about the man who was called the hero of this land," Tazuna says as he takes his glasses off, wiping away his tears.

"Hero…?" Naruto asks.

"It was around three years ago…" Tazuna starts as he put his glasses back on, "…when Inari met the man. Some kids were bullying him, taking his dog, Potchi, away from him and throwing it into the water. Inari really treasured Potchi because it was his only friend. He couldn't save him even if he wanted to, because he didn't know how to swim. One of the kids kicked him into the water, while the dog ultimately saved himself by swimming to the shore. I'm gonna digress, but Potchi learned how to dog paddle then."

Reika rolls her eyes.

"The dog ran away and the other kids chased him, leaving Inari to drown. If it wasn't for his father, he would definitely have died… not only did he save Inari, he gave those kids who bullied him a good scolding. He was the one who taught Inari about courage. His name was Kaiza and he was a fisherman who'd come to this land from another country in search of his dreams. After that, Inari really took to Kaiza. It may have been because Inari had lost his real father when he was too young to remember anything, but he was very attached to Kaiza. They were like father and son… it didn't take long for Kaiza to become a member of the family.

"And he was a man this town needed. He was very dependable, and the townspeople rely on him greatly. In one stormy night, a dam had been broken, and the only way to restore it in that storm is to pull it with a rope, otherwise the force of the water will annihilate a whole district. He was the only one brave enough to swim across the raging current and attach that rope, and the dam was repaired. From then on, the people of this land called Kaiza a hero, and he became a father that Inari could be proud of."

The look in Tazuna's eyes darken as he continues, "It was around that time when Gato set his sights on this land. And then, one night… Gato had his men kidnap Kaiza and torture him, just because he was a threat to Gato, having wanted to protect the town with his life and resisted Gato's policies. And then… he was publically executed as an example for the townspeople not to defy Gato, right in front of Inari's eyes."

Everyone's eyes widen as Sakura gasps.

"Inari thought that Kaiza had lied, because he couldn't protect his family and the town. Ever since then, Inari had changed, as well as Tsunami… and the townspeople."

Naruto has a determined look on his face as he stands up, but then he immediately falls down.

"What are you doing, Naruto…?" Sakura asks.

"You must be chakra deprived. Go get some rest," Reika says.

"You've had enough training for today. You've built up too much chakra. You'll die if you move any more than that. Listen to Reika," Kakashi says.

Naruto slowly lifts himself up, "I'll prove it…"

Tazuna and Sakura frown in confusion, "Prove what?" Sakura asks.

Standing up seems to be giving Naruto such a hard time, Reika is itching to put him down to sleep. But ultimately, Naruto manages to stand up, albeit on shaky legs, "I'll prove that… there _are_ heroes in this world!"

xXx

As usual, because of her nightmares, Reika is the first one up after Tsunami. She helps Tsunami prepare breakfast, and she waits until her teammates and Tazuna and Inari enter the dining room. The last one who enters the dining room is Sakura, who is walking into the room, rubbing sleep off of her eyes.

"Naruto didn't come back last night either?" Tazuna asks.

"His futon wasn't even laid out, so I don't think so," Reika says.

"He's such a fool, he's been out every night, climbing trees," Sakura comments, "He might be dead already from using up too much chakra."

"Don't jinx it," Reika says, even though she can't deny that she's a little bit worried. No matter how big his chakra reserves are, they still have limits.

"I wonder if Naruto-kun's okay," Tsunami says worriedly, "To think a child's out in the middle of the night…"

"Well, you don't need to worry. Although he may not seem like it, he's a full-fledged ninja," Kakashi says.

"I wonder…" Sasuke comments, "That idiot's probably passed out right about now," he then stands up from his seat and walks towards the door.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"I'm going for a walk," Sasuke says.

Reika scoffs. _Sure you are. You're just too proud to admit that you're worried about Naruto_ , "Tell Naruto to come back soon for breakfast, Sasuke-kun," Reika says with a mocking tone. Sasuke stops in his tracks, and Reika smirks as she knows that she has ticked him off. He doesn't say anything and steps outside the door.

"But we're going to start eating…" Reika pokes Sakura at her shoulder and points at Sasuke's already empty plate, "T-That was fast…"

"He has always been a fast eater," Reika says as she claps her hands in front of her, "Itadakimasu."

"And how would _you_ know that, Reika?" Sakura asks, jealousy clear in her tone.

"I'm just very observant. We _have_ been teammates for a long time, and we've had meals together, all five of us," Reika says after she swallows her food. _And I've lived with him my whole life, but you don't need to know that_.

"Hurry and finish up your meals, girls. We should catch up with Naruto and Sasuke," Kakashi says. Reika nods as she continues to eat, and Sakura starts eating. After they're done, they're back to where they first started tree-climbing exercise.

"Naruto?" Sakura calls out, but no one answers, "What in the world is Naruto doing? And Sasuke-kun hasn't come back from his walk either…"

All of a sudden, a stick is thrown to the ground in front of them from above. They all look up and are shocked to find Naruto lying on his stomach on the tallest branch of a tree.

"No way… Naruto can climb that high now?" Sakura says in disbelief, "Wow!"

"How about that, huh? I can climb this high now!" Naruto says proudly. He then jumps to stand, but he loses his footing and starts to fall. Reika's eyes widen in slight panic.

"You idiot!" Sakura exclaims.

"This is bad!" Kakashi says with wide eyes.

Sakura screams in terror, but then Naruto spins on his branch and stands upside down on it. Reika clicks her tongue. _Show off_ …

"Gotcha!" Naruto says with a mischievous smile on his face, "You fell for it!"

"Don't scare us like that!" Sakura screams. _I'll kill him later! Shannaro!_ Sakura thinks.

Reika's eyes widen in panic once again when Naruto's feet stops sticking to the branch.

"Oh, you idiot, Naruto!" Sakura shouts, "It's because you went overboard!"

But then his leg is caught by Sasuke, who stands upside down on the same branch. Reika sighs in relief.

"You fool…" Sasuke says.

"Sasuke…?"

"Kya! Nice, Sasuke-kun, you're awesome!" _Here we go again, she's on fangirl mode…_ Reika sighs as Sakura screeches her praises for her twin brother. But then she smirks. _They might be fighting all the time, but their teamwork has gotten better._

xXx

Dinner is starting, but Naruto and Sasuke haven't come back from their tree-climbing. Sakura, Kakashi, Tazuna and Inari are sitting in the dining room, with Tsunami and Reika serving them dinner.

"They're late… and not just Naruto, but even Sasuke-kun too," Sakura says. Suddenly the door opens and in comes Sasuke with Naruto leaning against him limply.

"What happened to you guys? You're really muddy and really wiped out," Tazuna asks.

Naruto lifts up his head and chuckles, "We both… climbed up to the top."

"Good," Kakashi says, "Naruto, Sasuke, you'll also start guarding Tazuna this time!"

Naruto looks excited and jumps in joy, but then he falls on his butt, bringing Sasuke down with him.

"You idiot!" Sasuke says. Everyone laughs at their antics, except for Reika, who only smirks, and Inari. Then they start dinner.

"In just a teeny little bit, the bridge will be complete," Tazuna says, "It's thanks to you guys."

"Even so, don't let your guard down," Tsunami says.

"I've really wanted to ask you for a long time now… but why are you still here even though I lied about the mission?" Tazuna asks.

"To see what is right without doing it bespeaks an absence of courage," Kakashi says, "Like master, like man," Tazuna and Tsunami look confused at Kakashi's words, "It's a teaching of the late Hokage."

Reika can see from where she's sitting that Inari is glaring at Naruto's tired body. Reika's eyes widen when she realizes that he's crying, "Why…?" Inari asks tearfully.

Naruto lifts up his head from the table, and asks, "What is it?"

Inari slams his little hands on top of the table, and asks, "Why do you desperately work so hard until you get like that?! There's no way you'd be a match for Gato's men even if you train! No matter what cool things you say or how much effort you make, the weak always loses out against the truly strong!"

Naruto looks at Inari, and then he lazily puts his head on the table again, "Shut up, I'm not like you- _ttebayo_."

"Shut up! Looking at you makes me sick! Sticking your nose in even though you know nothing of this land! I'm not like you who's always acting frivolous, not knowing one thing about pain!"

"So you're just gonna cry all day like the lead in a tragedy?" Naruto asks darkly without lifting his head up. Inari flinches at his words, "An idiot like you can just cry forever, you crybaby!" Naruto says harshly with a glare at Inari.

"Naruto! That's a bit harsh!" Sakura reprimands him. Naruto doesn't listen as he stands up from his seat and leaves the dining room, "Naruto…"

Reika sighs as Inari continues to cry. She doesn't know what to do in a situation like this. Being a little bit emotionally detached, she doesn't know what to do when she's in the presence of someone who's crying. Not too long after that, Inari runs outside, Tsunami calling his name but he ignores his mother.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This brings us to the end of Land of Waves Arc! Yay! It was such a pain to write because I'm not good at writing actions and fights. Writing the Chuunin Exam Arc was hell for me, that's for sure. Thank you so much for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! Enjoy~**

* * *

The next morning, Sasuke, Sakura, Reika and Kakashi are ready to go and guard Tazuna, while Naruto is still asleep. Reika figures he must've been pretty tired after training nonstop.

"Well, I leave Naruto in your hands," Kakashi says to Tsunami, "He used his body to its limit, so I don't think he'll be able to move today."

"Kakashi-san, are you feeling okay?" Tsunami asks.

"Yes, somehow."

"We'll be going!" Tazuna says as they leave for the bridge.

But when they arrive at the bridge, they are welcomed by an unwelcome sight, "W-What the heck is this?!" All of what remains of Tazuna's subordinates are lying on the floor of the bridge, "What is going on? What happened?!"

Reika frowns as she runs towards all of them and checks for their vitals. They're barely alive. _No way…_ She flinches when they're surrounded by a thick mist.

"Sasuke! Sakura! Reika! They're coming!"

The three Genins get their kunais ready, Sasuke moves to stand on Tazuna's left, Sakura on Tazuna's right, and Reika stands in front of him.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Kakashi… I see you've got those brats with you as always. He's still trembling. Poor thing."

Reika peeks to the side where she knows her brother stands and Zabuza is right; he _is_ trembling. Reika's eyes widen when she turns to look at her front and sees Zabuza crouching in front of her. Or more like they're surrounded by multiple Zabuzas.

"I'm trembling… with excitement," Sasuke says. Reika can practically hear his smirk.

"Do it, Sasuke," Kakashi says. Sasuke moves quickly and eliminates all Zabuzas, who turn out to be water clones.

 _I can see it!_ Sasuke thinks.

"Well, well… so he could see the water clones, eh? That brat's grown quite a bit. This means a rival has emerged, Haku," Zabuza says from a distance, the oi-nin from the other day standing right beside him.

"So it seems," the oi-nin that Zabuza called Haku says.

"Well, well… it seems my prediction was right on the money," Kakashi says lazily, "That little mask…"

"Huh?!"

"I knew it… Hn."

"So the elite shinobi of Kirigakure thing was a bald-faced lie!" Tazuna says.

"No matter how you look at him, he's gotta be a comrade of Zabuza's, standing together with him and all…" Reika says.

"I'll handle him," Sasuke says.

"Eh?"

"With his bad acting… I hate brats who think they're so cool," Sasuke continues.

"You're so cool, Sasuke-kun!"

Reika rolls her eyes. _This is not the time or place…_

Haku then spins in an incredible speed towards Sasuke, and his eyes widen. _He's really fast…_ Sasuke pulls out a kunai on each hands, and crosses his arms in a battle stance. Haku moves to stab Sasuke with his senbon, but Sasuke sees the movement and deflects it with his kunai.

"Sakura. Reika. Surround Tazuna-san and don't move away from me. Let Sasuke handle him!" Kakashi says. Reika bites her lower lip. _I want to help… but what can I do?_ Reika wonders as she sees her twin brother battling Haku right in front of her eyes. Nevertheless, she moves to protect Tazuna.

"I don't want to have to kill you…" Haku says, "I'd like for you to back down."

"Nonsense," Sasuke says with a wild look on his face.

"I knew it… but you won't be able to keep up with my speed. Also, I've already made two preemptive moves."

Reika frowns at Haku's words. _Two preemptive moves? What?_

"The first one is the scattered water. And the second one was blocking one of your hands. Therefore you'll just be able to defend my attack," Haku says as he makes a hand sign with only his free hand. Reika's eyes widen. _How is that possible?! He's… on a whole different level…_

" _Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishou_ (Secret Jutsu: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death)!" Haku then steps on the water underneath his feet, and the water surrounding them rises up into the air and turn into senbons. Reika's eyes widen as the senbons run their course towards Sasuke. Haku jumps out of the course, but Reika's eyes are stuck on Sasuke, who jumps high up in the air. She smirks. _He built up chakra to his feet… smart move._

Sasuke throws shurikens towards Haku in midair, which Haku avoids. He stops at one point, and Sasuke appears behind him.

"You're surprisingly stupid… from here on… you'll only defend my attack!" Sasuke says with a confident smile on his face. Haku immediately moves away from Sasuke, and Sasuke throws a backhand punch towards Haku, which he deflects with his arm. Sasuke uses his unoccupied hand to throw a kunai, to which Haku ducks to dodge it, but Sasuke kicks him in the face, throwing him back.

"It seems that I'm faster than you… I'm sorry to say this, but I've battled someone who's much faster than _both of us_ ," Sasuke says as he remembers a time when he got his ass kicked by Reika in a training session. _You might have to battle someone who's faster than me, nii-san. It won't hurt you to train your eyes to keep up with my movements_ , she had said then. He smirks to himself. _Thank you for your lessons, Reika-hime._

"I can't have you mocking our team, calling them brats…" Kakashi says, "He may not look like it, but Sasuke is the number one rookie of Konohagakure. Sakura is our sharpest. And Reika is our fastest. And the other one is the number one hyperactive, knucklehead ninja, Uzumaki Naruto."

Zabuza then chuckles, "Haku, do you know what this means? At this rate, you'll be defeated by your intended victim…"

Haku stands up from his fallen state, "Yes…" he then gathers up quite a lot of chakra, to the point of Reika being able to sense it.

"What…?"

"It's unfortunate…" Haku says as the air around them grows colder. Suddenly a spike of ice appears behind Sasuke and it turns into a flat slab of ice, " _Hijutsu: Makyou Hyoushou_ (Secret Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals)!"

Twelve ice slabs surround Sasuke, eight of them are situated above them, angled towards the ground, and one of them floats at the very top, facing the ground. The ice shines after Haku releases the hand seal.

"What is that jutsu…?" Kakashi wonders.

Haku then steps forward and enters the ice from behind. All of a sudden, all of the ice reflect him.

Reika can hear Kakashi curse, and he runs towards the ice cage, but Zabuza steps in front of it.

"I'm your opponent, aren't I? Since that jutsu has appeared… he's done for," Zabuza says. Reika flinches as her eyes widen in fear. _Nii-san…!_

"Now, I shall start," Haku's voice says, "I shall show you… my true speed!"

Reika can hear Sasuke screaming in pain from inside the cage, and she's itching to help him. _But how…?!_ Reika grits her teeth when Sasuke continues to scream.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims with wide eyes. A kunai suddenly is flying towards the ground in front of Sakura.

"If you make a move, I'll kill those three!" Zabuza threatens.

"Tazuna-san, I'm sorry!" Sakura says, "I'll be stepping away from here for a bit."

"Go. I'll protect him," Reika says. Sakura takes the kunai that was thrown to the ground in front of her, and she runs forward. She then jumps and throws the kunai towards the ice cage, but Haku catches it in his hand. Sasuke's screaming has stopped, but Reika knows that they're far from done. Suddenly a shuriken attacks the Haku that caught the kunai, and he fell off the ice.

"Eh? Who is it?!" Sakura wonders.

"The number one hyperactive, knucklehead ninja…" Haku says under his breath.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Naruto says from behind the smoke screen, "Is finally here!"

Reika rolls her eyes. _Such a show off… that smoke bomb is too much._

"Now that I've come, you'll be alright!" Naruto says confidently, "The hero of a story generally appears in this kind of situation and takes out the enemy in no time!"

Zabuza turns his head to look at Naruto, "Hmph. That brat, eh…?"

"Alright… here I go! _Kagebunshin no_ …!" but his jutsu is cut off by Zabuza throwing a barrage of shuriken towards Naruto.

"Get out of the way, Naruto!" Kakashi warns. Reika flickers towards Naruto to protect him from the shurikens, but then Haku throws a couple of senbons to stop them. Reika's eyes widen.

"What…?"

Reika frowns at Haku as she stands in front of Naruto, a kunai ready in her hand.

"What kind of idiot would attempt casting a jutsu directly right in front of an opponent?!" Kakashi asks angrily.

"You really lack subtlety, Naruto…" Reika says with an exasperated sigh.

"Whaat?"

"The essence of a shinobi is deception. How you deceive your opponent. Even casting one jutsu, you avoid the eyes of your opponents, catch them off balance, and outsmart them… the way you made your entrance earlier, that's just you coming to be a target!" Kakashi says darkly.

"N-No way! But I went to the trouble of coming to the rescue…" Naruto says dejectedly.

 _Even so…_ Reika keeps her eyes on Haku. _Why would he save Naruto from those shurikens?_

"Haku… what's the idea?" Zabuza asks.

"Zabuza-san… leave them to me. Please let me fight this battle my way," Haku says.

"So you mean no interfering… Haku? You're naïve, as usual…" Zabuza says.

"I'm sorry…" Haku says as he hangs his head.

Reika peeks to her side to check on Sasuke. He's covered in bleeding wounds, possibly caused by senbons, and she knows that she needs to heal him without going into the ice cage. God knows what would happen if she enters it. _I don't think he can move even if he wants to… there's no knowing if he can even leave that cage._

"Fine! I'll take you out first, so…!" Naruto says. From the corner of her eye, Reika can see Kakashi trying to move. _There's no way Naruto can take on Haku alone. Even nii-san had a hard time._

"Hey. Don't get any ideas. If you move, you know what's going to happen to that old man, right?" Zabuza threatens Kakashi, "How about it? Let's just see how those young guys fight against each other."

Reika tries to catch Kakashi's eyes, and she nods subtly when she manages to do so. _I'll try and help Naruto with him… and hopefully pull Sasuke-nii-san out of that cage_.

"That mask… you really were Zabuza's comrade after all, weren't you?!" Naruto asks, "You've got nerve to deceive us!"

"I'm sorry," Haku says, "But your sensei also said it, didn't he? Things like deceiving and catching one off guard is a shinobi's duty. Please don't take it personally."

Suddenly a kunai whizzes past Haku, coming from inside the ice cage. Naruto turns to look into the cage and is surprised to see Sasuke inside it.

"I haven't forgotten about you," Haku says, "I would rather you had just gone down quietly, but it looks like it won't work that way. Fine. I'll put an end to it first."

Haku then steps towards one of the ice slabs, and turns to look at Reika, "You reacted very quickly to save your comrade. You must be the fastest one. I'd like to fight you after I'm finished with him," he then faces forward and says, "Naruto-kun. I'll get to you later," and enters the ice.

"H-Hey!" Naruto exclaims.

From where Reika is standing, the inside of the ice cage is now visible for her to see. She can see Haku reflected on each and every one of the mirrors, holding three senbons in one of his hands. Reika's eyes widen as Sasuke is attacked by a barrage of senbons, which are too fast even for Reika's trained eye to see.

"Sasuke-kun!" Reika and Sakura calls out.

"Sasuke!"

 _I-Impossible… not even the trajectory of the senbons are visible… what kind of jutsu is this? At this point, Sasuke-nii-san will…_

"Let's go, Rei-chan!"

"Eh?" Reika's eyes widen as her hand is pulled by Naruto, "Wait, Naruto, don't–!" _Damn it, I forgot how impulsive he is!_ But for some reason, she can't seem to keep up with Naruto's speed as he pulls her into the ice cage. Maybe it has something to do with Reika being very precise and organized with whatever she does, and Naruto is her exact opposite.

"Yo! I've come to save you!" Naruto says to Sasuke, "You okay, Sasuke?"

Reika slaps her free hand to her forehead in exasperation.

"Y-You idiot! If you're a shinobi, you'll move more cautiously!"

"What's with you?! I came to the rescue, you know!"

"If you also come inside the mirrors… and you dragged Reika in too… Damn it! I've had it, you fool!" Sasuke then glares at Reika, "Why didn't you stop him?!"

Reika glares back, "How am I supposed to know if he was going in?! He grabbed me when I was distracted!"

"Then _don't_ get distracted!"

"Well, we're in here now, so we might as well fight him! But I need to heal you first!"

"There's no time! You need to get out of here!"

"There's no way I'm leaving you here!"

Sasuke knows that whatever he says will not change his sister's mind, so he looks away from her and stands up, "Fine! Since it's come to this, all that is left is to smash the mirrors! Reika!"

Sasuke starts making hand seals, and Reika follows suit after she recognizes the hand seal sequence. She makes monkey, boar, horse and tiger seals and they shout together, " _Katon_!"

"W-What are you doing?!" Naruto asks.

"These are mirrors made with freezing water. If so…"

Reika and Sasuke look at each other and nod. They take deep breaths and expel fire from their mouths. Sasuke's eyes widen while Reika grits her teeth when they realize that it didn't work.

"It's not working at all!" Naruto complains.

"Even with both of your powers, they won't melt with that level of firepower," Haku informs them. The Hakus inside the mirrors then takes three senbons to his hand, and the mirrors start to shine very brightly. Naruto, Sasuke and Reika close their eyes as they use their arms to cover the light, but then they all scream at nearly the same time as their bodies are thrown backwards from the force of the senbon attack, and they fall back to the ground.

"Damn it! Where'd he attack from?! Is it the clones?" Naruto wonders. He then stands up and asks Sasuke, "Where's the real body?!"

"It's useless for you to even attempt following with your eyes. I absolutely will not be caught."

"Reika… can you see?" Sasuke asks her as she sits up. Reika regretfully shakes her head.

"He's… _way_ too fast. Not even my eyes can see it…" _If only one of us has the Sharingan, there's a possibility that we can see his movements… but neither nii-san nor I have developed them._

"Hmph! _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_!"

"Don't!" Sasuke warns him. But he's too late, as a bunch of Narutos start to attack the mirrors.

"If so, I'll find out which is the real body by hitting them all!"

This time, Reika can see that the Hakus inside the mirror are exiting the mirrors and moving from mirror to mirror in an incredible speed, attacking Naruto's shadow clones at the same time. Reika is struggling to keep up with his movements. She can't even tell Naruto where he is even if she wants to, because he moves so fast. In a split second, Naruto's shadow clones disappear and the real Naruto is thrown back to the ground.

"This is a teleportation jutsu that uses mirrors that can reflect only my image. Watching you from the speed I move in, it almost seems as if you aren't moving at all…" Haku says.

"Damn it… so… what?!" Naruto says as his body shakes, "I can't die here yet. Because I have a dream that I must turn into reality… the dream to have my strength recognized by everyone in the village… and become the Hokage!"

"…for me, being a shinobi completely is difficult. If I can, I don't want to kill you guys… and I don't want to get killed by you guys. But if you guys are going to come at me… I'll kill my feelings with a sword and completely become a shinobi. This bridge is the battleground that connects each of us to our dreams. I, for the sake of my dream, and you, for the sake of your dreams. Please don't hold it against me… I want to protect the person dear to me. I work for the sake of that person, I fight for that person, and I want to make that person's dream a reality… that's my dream. For the sake of the dream, I will completely become a shinobi…" Haku lifts up a senbon in his hand, "…and kill you guys!"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Reika smirks at Haku's words. The three Genins inside the ice cage stand back up on their feet. _Now we're talking_.

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto! Reika! Don't lose to a guy like that!" Reika hears Sakura shout from outside the cage. She can faintly hear Kakashi reprimanding her for goading him, but Reika doesn't register it. _But… if I think about it realistically, Haku is miles ahead of us in skill… there's just no way we can defeat him with our abilities now_ , Reika thinks. _We have to outsmart him_.

"I'm not one to be afraid just because I failed once!" Naruto says, "I'll do it as many times as it takes! _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_!"

"Stop it, Naruto!" Reika says with a frown. But he doesn't listen, and Naruto's shadow clones attack the mirrors again at the same time, and again Haku teleported from mirror to mirror with incredible speed.

"Reika… can you see him?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah… I think he's slowing down a little, but he's still too fast, I can't pinpoint him and attack," Reika says. Her eyes widen when, unexpectedly, Haku jumps right in front of them and attacks Sasuke and Reika with his barrage of senbons. Before Reika can react, she and Sasuke are already attacked, and they can only scream at the pain of having senbons lacerate their bodies multiple times in an inhuman speed.

Again, Naruto's shadow clones disperse one by one and the real Naruto falls to the ground beside Reika. He sits up immediately with a frown, "W-What the hell is it- _ttebayo_ …?!"

"Can _you_ see him, Sasuke-kun?" this time it's Reika's turn to ask her twin brother. Sasuke gives her the subtlest nod.

"One more try!" Naruto says as he stands up, " _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_!"

Reika and Sasuke turn to look up at Naruto and his clones, and try to track Haku's movement.

"Don't you understand that it's useless?" Haku asks as he starts to attack all of them once again. Reika struggles to keep her eye open to track Haku's movement, but the pain is just too much and she can only scream. She falls to the ground as her legs seem to fail her.

Reika sits up and wonders. _If I can track him… then what? His attacks are still really fast and painful,_ Reika looks at Sasuke's, Naruto's, and her wounds. _In our state, there's no way we can keep up with him._

"Reika…" Sasuke whispers, "I have a plan."

"…I'm listening."

Naruto seems to not have given up, as he dashes forward and creates more shadow clones. Even Haku is annoyed at him now.

"You just don't learn, do you?!" Haku says. From beside her, Sasuke makes hand seals and attacks an airborne Haku from below with his fireball. Haku avoids it by entering another mirror down below, but when he leaves that mirror, Reika is ready with her own fireball and attacks him. Reika clicks her tongue when he avoids it again. Reika tries to follow Haku's movement while he kills Naruto's shadow clones, waiting until the time is right.

"Now!" Reika says. She and Sasuke blows fire from their mouth when Haku is flying towards one mirror in the air, the fire they throw burning one of the legs of his pants. Naruto falls to the ground once again. She turns to look at Sasuke, "Do you think you're getting the timing down, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke answers Reika's question with a smirk. Reika sighs as fatigue catches up to her.

"Good. Because I don't think I can use _Goukakyuu no Jutsu_ anymore. I need to conserve some chakra to heal you guys," she looks at the outside of the cage, "I don't even want to use _Shunshin no Jutsu_ to get out of here lest I don't have enough chakra."

"Fine. Rest."

"Damn it! We were so close!" Naruto says.

"Naruto, can you still move?" Sasuke asks.

"Of course! I'm totally fine!" _No you're not. You've used_ Kagebunshin no Jutsu _so much, your chakra should be depleted by now_ , Reika thinks. From the corner of her eyes, Reika can see Sasuke smirking. _He's got a plan…_

The mirrors in front of them start to shine again, and Sasuke immediately creates hand seals for his fireball.

"Naruto! Run!" Sasuke says. Naruto looks at him in confusion, "Run out of here and attack from the outside! Take Reika with you!"

"A-Alright- _ttebayo_!" Naruto and Reika run forward towards a gap in between the mirrors to try and get out.

"You won't be able to…!" Haku says. As they approach the gap, the mirrors start to shine again and throw Naruto and Reika backwards. Naruto stands back up and pulls Reika to stand, and runs again.

"I'm not going to lose!"

Reika grits her teeth and runs along with Naruto. _Nii-san… I hope whatever you're thinking is going to work!_ In the corner of her eye, she can see Sasuke's fireball attacking an incoming Haku, but he dodges it and throws a senbon towards Sasuke. Reika throws her own senbon to stop it in its track, while Naruto continues to run, only to be stopped by Haku stepping in front of him and punching him. Reika turns to look back at Haku, only to be kicked backwards.

Reika sits up and coughs out blood as Haku returns to his mirror.

"Damn it!" Naruto curses.

"That was good just now!" Sasuke says.

"Eh?" Naruto asks.

"We're doing it one more time!" Sasuke says. Reika and Naruto look at Sasuke resolutely, and nod.

"Okay."

"Alright- _ttebayo_!"

"…he's got a limit too," Reika says under her breath, so that only Naruto and Sasuke can hear her. Naruto turns to look at her while Sasuke smirks, "He's getting slower."

Naruto runs forward, while Sasuke runs to his right, and Reika to her left.

"This won't go as you've planned," Haku says. One of the Hakus in the mirror exits the mirror with a senbon in his hand, "First, I'll get you!" he then throws the senbon at Sasuke's foot, and proceeds to stab him with more senbons to different parts of his body.

Reika stops in her tracks at his scream. She turns to look at him, and her eyes widen in panic, "Sasuke-kun!" She's so focused on Sasuke that she misses the senbons aimed at her. She screams out in pain. She can also hear Naruto screaming from her left. Not long after that, she can hear Sakura scream from outside the ice cage. Her eyes widen. _Tazuna-san! Sakura! Kakashi-sensei!_ Reika bites her lower lip. _Damn it! I need to do something!_

Reika looks at Naruto and Sasuke, who are pretty much in the same state as she is; covered with senbons and can hardly move. She drags her body to get closer to them, and stops when she reaches Naruto.

"Sa… kura… chan…" Naruto moans. But then he lifts himself up with a chuckle, "I'll do something about it- _ttebayo_ …" he smirks as he looks forward and stands up, "Here I go…"

"It's pointless to struggle," Haku says. Naruto doesn't listen and makes a hand seal as he gathers an enormous amount of chakra to his feet and dashes towards the mirrors in front of him. When a reflection of Haku shows up in front of the mirror in front of him, he flips backwards and runs to the other side. But Reika can see Haku running alongside him inside the mirror.

"Naruto, behind you!" Sasuke warns him. But he's too late, as when Naruto turns around, Haku stabs him with more senbons.

"Naruto!" Sasuke and Reika call out as they run towards him.

"It's impossible for you to get out of here," Haku says, "Definitely."

"Can you stand, Naruto?" Sasuke asks.

"Y-Yeah…" Naruto says weakly.

"From now on, don't waste your chakra!" Reika warns him, "You're playing right into his hands!"

"I know- _ttebayo_ …" Naruto says as he tries to pulls himself up, only to fall back down. Reika bites down her lower lip and makes a modified ox and tiger seals, and her palms glow green with chakra.

"I'll try to heal him as best as I can… but be careful, Sasuke-kun," Reika says as she looks straight into her twin's eyes. Sasuke returns her gaze for a couple of seconds and nods as he stands up. Reika turns her focus back to Naruto and curses under her breath as she can feel herself running out of chakra.

"It's about the time I put an end to this for you…" Haku says as he throws more senbons at Sasuke. But Sasuke takes a senbon from the floor and deflects all the senbons that are thrown towards them.

"Stand up, you idiot!" Sasuke says to Naruto as Reika stops healing him. Even as Sasuke says that, Naruto is still writhing in pain on the floor.

Naruto then lifts himself up with all of his might, "I know- _ttebayo_ … you're so persistent!"

Sasuke, Naruto, and Reika then turn to look at the mirrors, where Haku is reflected in all of them. Reika takes a kunai from her holster, and Haku attacks them. She widens her eyes in realization that Haku really _has_ slowed down. She can see the trajectory of the senbons enough to avoid and deflect them now. Reika pulls Naruto, whom she knows won't be able to dodge the attacks, closer to her and deflects all the senbons directed at them while dragging Naruto here and there to avoid getting stabbed. At times, Sasuke would push both of them off the course of a barrage of senbons she doesn't realize is coming, protecting them both.

All of a sudden, Haku disappears. Reika looks around at the mirrors, trying to find him. Reika shakes Naruto in her arms, "Naruto! Don't faint!" she warns him, "Sasuke-kun can't take care of us more than he does now! The least you can do is stay conscious!"

"Who asked you to take care of me…?" Naruto says under his breath before he actually faints in Reika's arms.

"Naruto!" Reika bites her lower lip and tries to heal Naruto as best as she can.

"It seems that kid has reached his limits," Haku says.

Sasuke clicks his tongue and throws the senbon in his hand towards the mirror at the very top, only to be deflected.

"Amazing… that's an amazing move. You move well…" Haku then throws three senbons at Sasuke, who dodges them, "…but I'll stop you with the next one. Motor function… reflexes… ability to judge a situation… all of these things… should be at their limits!"

Reika is so focused on healing Naruto, so she jumps when Sasuke takes Naruto in his arms. She pushes some chakra to her feet and jumps away with Sasuke to avoid the barrage of senbons. Sasuke puts Naruto on the floor once again, and Reika returns to kneel at his side and looks up at Sasuke. Her eyes widen when she sees her brother's eyes.

Sasuke's eyes have turned bright red, with one tomoe circling his left pupil and two circling his right.

"…Sharingan…" Reika says, "…nii-san…" Reika whispers under her breath. She narrows her eyes in resolve and looks down at Naruto, who's still unconscious. She is facing Haku as she tries her best to heal Naruto with one hand while the other is holding a kunai to protect both of them from the senbons. She can see that Haku is trying to attack Naruto instead of Sasuke or her. He must've realized that both Sasuke and Reika can read his movements.

She sees Sasuke pulling out a senbon from his neck and throws it at Haku, who then throws his own senbons towards Naruto once again, which Sasuke receives with his body. Haku then moves forward, but before he could reach Naruto and Reika, Sasuke catches his hands and spins to throw him against the mirrors.

Haku throws another group of senbons towards Naruto. Reika's all ready to deflect Haku's attacks, but Sasuke doesn't move from where he is and lets himself be stabbed by senbons. She looks up in horror, and Naruto slowly wakes up after Reika stops healing him out of shock.

"Geez, you… just won't quit… dragging my feet, will you?"

"You did it! Sasuke…!" Naruto exclaims, until he feels that something is wrong. He really looks at Sasuke and his eyes widen.

Sasuke's whole body has senbons sticking from it. Reika can also see the blood on the floor. Sasuke turns a little to his left and smirks at Naruto and his sister, blood dripping out of his mouth.

"W-What kind of expression is that… you… idiot…!"

"W-Why?!" Naruto asks as his eyes start to water, "You… protected me…?!"

"How the hell… should I know?" Sasuke then chuckles to himself, "Hmph. You… I hated you…"

Naruto stands up, "Why? Why- _ttebayo_ …? Why… me…?" Sasuke only smirks at his words, and Naruto clenches his hand in a fist, "I didn't ask for your help!"

"I don't know… my body moved… on its own accord… fool…" Sasuke says before he collapses on his back, Naruto catching him in his arms.

"Sasuke-kun!" Reika says as she moves to kneel beside Sasuke, across from Naruto.

"Sasuke!"

"That man… until I defeated… aniki… I absolutely refuse to die… that's what I decided, but…" Sasuke lifts his hand painfully slowly. He looks at Naruto, then at Reika, "Don't die…" his outstretched hand falls limply to the side, and his head lulls lifelessly to Naruto's body. Reika's eyes widen.

 _No, no, no, no! Nii-san!_

"Sasuke-kun!" Reika calls out in panic with tears in her eyes. Naruto hugs Sasuke's immobile body close. Reika squeezes her eyes shut, trying not to cry, but some tears escape anyway.

"He… to protect someone dear to him… he would plunge in knowing it was a trap… he's a shinobi worthy of respect," Haku says as he stands up, "Is this the first time you faced a friend's death? This is the way of the shinobi," Haku then moves backwards to reenter the mirror.

"Shut up!" Naruto says. He then hands Sasuke's limp body over to Reika, who accepts him in her arms with a confused look.

"Naruto…?"

"Rei-chan… take care of him, will you?" Naruto says with a commanding tone that Reika has never heard before. She doesn't dare defy him and only nods as she pulls her brother's body close to her. All of a sudden, Reika can feel an enormous amount of chakra coming from Naruto's body, and her eyes widen, "I won't forgive you…"

Reika flinches when she sees Naruto exuding a bright red chakra from his body, her eyes narrowing a little at the wind that starts to pick up from the force of his chakra. The chakra is so powerful that it even slices the bridge floor. Reika shudders in fear when Naruto looks up with a feral look in his red eyes, the whisker mark on his cheeks more prominent than ever.

"I'm going to kill you!" Naruto says with a snarl. Reika looks around her as the powerful chakra surges once again. She turns to look back to Naruto. _What… is this chakra…? It's so… bloodthirsty and dark… How is he doing this…? I don't even have my Sharingan yet, but I can clearly_ see _his chakra…_

Reika flinches in shock as the senbons that stabbed Naruto are forcefully pushed out from his body, and Reika can clearly see all of his wounds healing rapidly before her eyes. His fingernails turn into claws, and Reika cowers, holding Sasuke's body closer to her. Naruto then goes on all fours and glares at Haku inside the mirror menacingly. As Naruto charges forward, Reika shakes her head and lays Sasuke down on the floor carefully as she tries to heal Sasuke as well as she could.

"Nii-san… come on…"

Reika jumps as Naruto's chakra spikes up. She closes her eyes as wind picks up from where Naruto is. Her eyes open in surprise when she hears the tell-tale sound of ice breaking, and she sees Haku being thrown backwards after Naruto punches him in the face. Reika looks at where Naruto is with narrowed eyes, her arms protecting her eyes from the wind. _What are you, Naruto…?_

The ice mirrors around them start to crack and crumble after Haku is thrown. Naruto then runs towards where Haku is. Reika turns her focus back to her brother, trying to pull the senbons as carefully as she can and tries to close the wound after she succeeds. She starts to perspire heavily as she can clearly feel her chakra running out. _Come on, nii-san… you're still alive, I know it…!_

She suddenly feels a spike in chakra from her right, and she turns to see Zabuza, surrounded by dogs, and Kakashi in front of him, a clear blue chakra in his hand, surging with electrical energy. Kakashi then moves to attack Zabuza, only to be stopped by Haku, who steps in front of Zabuza and takes the blow. Reika's eyes widen at his sacrifice. _Zabuza… means so much to him that he'd die for him?_ Reika looks down to her brother's body and thinks about just how much she understands how he feels. _I, too, would die to protect Sasuke-nii-san_ , Reika thinks as she continues the sequence of pulling out senbons and healing wound.

"I won't forgive you!" Naruto says.

"Naruto! Just stay there and watch!" Kakashi says as he lays Haku down on the floor and closes his opened eyes.

"Naruto! It's good to see you!" Reika can hear Sakura's voice say, "Where's Sasuke-kun?"

Reika can feel her focus wavering. She can see spots of black from her eyes. But she doesn't stop. _If you're dead, nii-san… I would know. You're_ not _dead, so please wake up!_ Reika can hear footsteps approaching them. From the sandals, Reika figures it must be Sakura. She can hear Sakura gasp at the sight of Sasuke. She then falls to her knees beside Sasuke. Sakura places a hand on Sasuke's cheek.

"He's cold… this isn't genjutsu, is it?" Sakura then turns to look at Reika, whose face is wet with sweat, but she looks very determined, "Reika… he'll be okay… right?" Sakura asks. But Reika doesn't respond as the glow of green chakra continues to emanate from her hands.

"Don't mind me," Tazuna says. Reika figures he came with Sakura, "This isn't the time to hold back your emotions…"

"I… I always got perfect scores at the Ninja Academy… I memorized all the hundreds of shinobi rules. All the tests were a breeze. Until one day, this question came up in a test… 'State Rule #25 of the Ways of the Shinobi'… as always, I simply wrote down the answer without batting an eye," Sakura says as tears start to run down her face, "'A shinobi must never show their true feelings under any circumstances, no matter what. The mission always comes first. A ninja must have the strength of character never to shed any tears'…"

Reika remembers that rule well. It's the rule she lived by ever since she lost her clan and everyone dear to her. The only time she breaks the rule is when it comes to her brothers. _That's why… you_ have _to live, nii-san. Or else I'll lose all of my emotion and turn into a robot._

"I am… _not_ letting him die," Sakura looks up from Sasuke's body at Reika, who grits her teeth in determination. She has never heard her speak with such conviction and passion, "Not on my watch…!"

 _Reika… she…_ Sakura thinks as more tears fall from her eyes. She buries her face in Sasuke's body once again, "Sasuke-kun…" she sobs. And then she wails loudly.

"…Sakura… you're heavy…"

Reika scoffs at Sasuke's first words after he comes back from the dead. Sakura lifts her head up from Sasuke's body with wide eyes, "Sasuke… kun…?" Reika can clearly see relief in her eyes, and she proceeds to call out Sasuke's name over and over again as she hugs him close. Reika doesn't even have the energy left to pull her away from her brother. She's just glad that she managed to save him, even though he would be sore for a few days after this.

"Sakura… that hurts…"

From the corner of her eye, Reika can see Tazuna wiping a tear from his eye. Reika pants softly as she sees Sakura and Sasuke. Then Sasuke tries to lift himself up to a sitting position, and Reika grabs his hand.

"Don't move too much… you must be sore…" Reika says, doing nothing to cover up her fatigue. Her brother's eyes finally meet hers.

"Reika…"

"I've… closed your wounds as best as I can, but… the second we arrive at the village, you're going to the hospital," Reika says firmly. She then smiles a soft smile. Sakura jumps in surprise when she sees such a soft emotion coming from her somewhat emotionally detached teammate, "Glad to have you back, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke returns her smile with a weak one, but it's soft nonetheless, "Yeah… thanks," he then turns to look at Sakura, "Anyway, where's Naruto? Also… what happened to that mask guy?"

"Naruto's fine," Reika answers.

"The masked kid, he died…" Sakura says. Sasuke lifts his head up in shock.

"Died? Did Naruto get him?"

"Well… I'm not really sure, but he protected Zabuza…"

Reika turns to look at her back, and she sees a crowd of people, but finds them blurry. Reika closes her eyes as she gives herself up to gravity.

"Reika!" Sasuke says as his sister collapses. That's the last thing Reika hears before she completely lets herself be consumed by darkness.

xXx

Reika squints at the bright sunset as she and her teammates and sensei stand before two graves, one with Zabuza's big sword and the other with Haku's belt. It's been a couple of hours since she passed out from chakra depletion, and this time it's her turn to move around with crutches. Tazuna had to make a new one since Kakashi's were too long for her short body, much to her annoyance.

"Kakashi-sensei…" Reika hears Sakura say, "I wonder if the way a ninja should be is really just to become a tool for their villages."

"Shinobi should not seek the reason for their own existence. What's important is to exist merely as tools. That's the same in Konoha."

"I wonder if that's what it really means to become a real ninja," Naruto says, "I guess… I don't like that!"

"Do you think so too?" Sasuke asks Kakashi.

"Why would someone want to live as merely a tool…?" Reika wonders, more to herself than to anyone.

"Hmm… well… that's why all ninjas live trying to figure that out without realizing… like Zabuza… and that kid."

"Okay!" Naruto suddenly says. Reika raises an eyebrow at Naruto, "I've just decided! I'm going to pursue my own Nindo (Way of Ninja)! I'm gonna sprint straight ahead and pursue a way that I absolutely won't regret!"

Reika smiles at her teammate.

xXx

"Thanks to you, the bridge was safely completed," Tazuna says a couple of days after the fight. Reika is still needs one of her crutches to move, but she's getting better, "But we will miss you very much."

"Take care. Especially you, Reika-chan," Tsunami says.

Reika gives her a small smile, "I will, Tsunami-san."

"Thank you for everything," Kakashi says.

"Now, now, we'll come back for a visit again- _ttebayo_ , Tazuna-occhan!" Naruto says with a grin. Reika notices Inari looking like he's trying to hold back tears.

"For sure…?" Inari asks.

"Huh?" Inari doesn't respond as he continues to try not to cry. Tazuna places a hand on his grandson's head. Reika turns to look at Naruto and sighs when she sees Naruto's eyes shine with tears.

"Inari… you're gonna miss us, aren't you? It's alright to cry- _ttebayo_. Go ahead and cry!"

"I won't cry! It's okay for you to cry, Naruto-nii-chan" Inari says, even though the tears running down his face betray his words. Reika rolls her eyes as Naruto also starts to cry. _Children_.

"See ya!" Naruto says as he turns around to hide his tears. Team 7 then proceeds to walk down the bridge, with Reika thanking all deity she believes in that she doesn't need to take another stinking boat to get off the island.

"Alright! I'll get back soon and have Iruka-sensei treat me to ramen as the mission completion celebration! And! And! I'll tell Konohamaru tales of my heroic exploits!" Naruto says.

"Then, I…" Sakura starts, "Hey, Sasuke-kun, do you wanna go on a date when we get back to the village?" Reika glares at her.

"No, I don't think so," Sasuke says. Sakura then looks downtrodden at his rejection, and Naruto offers himself to go in Sasuke's place. Of course, Sakura proceeds to pummel Naruto for that. Reika sighs.

She's all too ready to be home right now.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks for the people who have read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! We've entered the most tiring arc to be written so far: the Chuunin Exams arc. I apologize if I fail to describe the fights within, I'm pretty bad at writing fight scenes ._. nevertheless, enjoy!**

* * *

After their return from the Land of Waves, Team 7 is back on doing D-rank mission again, much to everyone's irritation. Reika was put off duty so she can recuperate, so was Sasuke. The difference is, while Sasuke only needed a day to recuperate from his injuries, Reika needed to rest for a couple of days, so she's spared from doing D-rank mission. She doesn't mind that.

Today is the first day Reika's back on active duty, and she's waiting on a bridge with Sasuke and Sakura for Naruto and their eternally late sensei. She hears someone running towards them.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan! Rei-chan!" Naruto greets them. Reika waves her hand at him. Then he proceeds to go on a glaring contest with Sasuke, then they look away at the same time. Reika and Sakura sigh as they're put in between the two rivals. Apparently they've been acting quite strange since they got back from the Land of Waves. Reika scratches the back of her head in irritation. _Man, this is so uncomfortable… I should've just stayed in the hospital longer._

Reika takes a good look at Naruto, and her thought returns to when they were in the Land of Waves… when that immense chakra envelop him after Sasuke had 'died'. Reika pulled Kakashi aside to ask him about it, but he had avoided talking about it. _He said it's not the time yet, but when_ is _the time?_

As usual, Team 7 has to wait for hours until their sensei finally comes and greets them as though he didn't do anything wrong. Today's excuse is that he got lost. _You've been living in Konoha for how long, now? Oh, your whole life? Of_ course _you got lost!_ Reika thinks sarcastically.

"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto says, "We Team 7 always has the easy missions lately! Aren't there more exciting missions where I can be more active, where I can use my Nindo and my soul, you know?!" Naruto asks passionately. Reika can swear that she sees fire in his eyes. Even Kakashi is cowering.

"Oh, yes, yes… I basically understand what you're trying to say."

All of a sudden, Naruto's passion turns into hatred and he glares at Sasuke. Reika sighs. _This, again…?_ Reika looks around at her teammates and sees that while Sasuke and Naruto are glaring at each other, Sakura is in turn glaring at Naruto for glaring at Sasuke. Reika leans back on the railing of the bridge and yawns. _This is going to be a long day…_

"Okay, let's go!" Kakashi says as he leaves the bridge, Sasuke, Sakura, and Reika in tow. Naruto seems to still be in la-la land, "Hey, what're you doing, Naruto? We're going on our mission!"

"Okay!" Naruto shouts with passion.

"You've been so annoying for a while!" Sakura complains.

They do various D-rank missions; weeding a garden (in which Naruto got so fired up by his desire to win against Sasuke that he pulled out the whole herb garden instead of the weeds), taking garbage from the river (Reika's least favorite; she actually froze when she sees Naruto slip and get washed up, Kakashi had to physically pull her off the river), walking dogs (in which Naruto insisted on walking the largest dog and got dragged into a trap field by it; even though Naruto and the dog survived, Naruto was kind of charred when he returned).

Reika tries her best to heal Naruto's burns after the trap field. She sighs after she does what she can do, "You need to go to the hospital just to be sure you're fine," Reika says. _Even though I think with your unique chakra, you'll heal faster than most…_

"Well, it's because you're so reckless!" Sakura says as she and Sasuke carry Naruto by their shoulders.

"Hn. You're so much trouble," Sasuke says. Naruto pulls away from Sakura and Sasuke in anger, and Sakura stops him from attacking Sasuke, who walks away.

"If you act up any more, I'll finish you!" Sakura threatens.

Kakashi sighs, "Hmm… teamwork hasn't been good lately."

"That's right! You're to blame for the poor teamwork, Sasuke!" Naruto says, "You're always attracting attention!"

"That's you, you idiot" Sasuke says without even looking back at Naruto, "If you don't want to owe me big time…" he stops and finally turns to glare at Naruto, who returns the glare, "…you just need to become stronger than me!"

Reika sighs in exasperation as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. _Geez, this is getting nowhere…_ Reika sees the annoyed look on Sasuke's face and raises an eyebrow. _What's wrong with him_ now _?_

"Well then…" Kakashi says to break the sudden silence, "Perhaps we should disperse. I do need to submit a report about this mission."

"Okay, then I'm going home," Sasuke says as he turns around. In a split second, his eyes meet Reika's, and she nods subtly at him.

"Oh… hey! Sasuke-kun, wait for me!" Sakura says as she runs after Sasuke. He turns around with the most disinterested look on his face, "Hey, how about… why don't you and… why don't we work on improving our teamwork together?"

Reika scoffs incredulously. _So_ that's _what they're calling it nowadays, huh?_

"You're just like Naruto," Sasuke says, "If you have time to spend on me, why don't you practice a jutsu? To tell you frankly, your abilities are less than Naruto's!"

Sakura then pouts at Sasuke, "B-But! Reika is also not as good as you _or_ Naruto!" she says petulantly. She smiles arrogantly, "She gets tired more easily than I do, and she's scared of a lot of things!" Reika rolls her eyes.

"Reika definitely trains more than you do. She just hasn't showed you her best yet," Sasuke says. Reika's heart somehow warmed up with Sasuke's defense, "What did _you_ do back in the Land of Waves?"

Reika winces at Sasuke's jab. _Man, he doesn't hold back. She must've pissed him off good._ Reika thinks as she sees Sasuke walking away. Sakura looks very downtrodden, and Naruto tries to get her to practice together with him. _He can be really dense most of the time…_ Reika thinks. Kakashi then flickers away, and after she can't see Sasuke no more, Reika moves.

"I'm going home too," Reika says as she walks to the same direction as Sasuke before she can bear witness of Sakura's wrath on Naruto. She turns her head left and right while massaging her left shoulder lightly. She groans when her neck cracks loudly. These D-rank missions are really wearing her down with their boringness. She needs something new and more challenging.

Reika stops in her tracks as she feels that Sasuke is heading towards a different way from their usual way home. _I thought he's heading straight home?_ Curiosity almost kills her, so she follows him. She frowns when she sees Sandaime Hokage's grandson, Konohamaru, being held by his collar by a shinobi in black with cat ears and a bandaged thing on his back. She also sees a blond kunoichi in light purple with a huge piece of steel on her back standing by him.

Reika peeks to her right and sees her brother on top of a tree, a couple of rocks in his hands. Sasuke must've sensed her as well, as he peeks back at her. They nod at each other, and Sasuke throws a rock aimed at the shinobi's hand that is holding Konohamaru up, and Reika dashes as fast as she could to catch him before he falls to the ground.

The shinobi in black holds his reddened hand that had been hit. He frowns when he sees the rock, and turns to look at a black-haired girl, who came out of nowhere and is now putting the kid down to the ground gently.

"Konohamaru, are you okay?" Reika asks. Konohamaru looks at her with sparkles in his eyes.

"A-Awesome!"

"What do you think you're doing in someone else's village, teme…?" Sasuke asks from atop a tree, one small rock still on his hand. Reika ignores Sakura's squeal and takes a good look at the shinobi and the kunoichi, and sees that judging from their hitai-ate, they're from Sunagakure. Konohamaru then runs towards Naruto for protection, and Reika stands up to face the Suna shinobis.

The shinobi clicks his tongue, "More punks to tick me off…"

Sasuke squeezes the rock in his hand until it turns into dust, "Get lost!"

Reika, again, ignores Sakura's squeals of admiration, Konohamaru's complaints about Naruto being lame, and Naruto's defense.

"Hey, come down here, you little punk!" the shinobi says, "You're the kind of smart aleck little punk that I despise the most," he pulls the bandage on his shoulder, and Reika can see a head of hair from on top of the wrapped bandages. She frowns.

"Wait! You're not thinking of using Karasu, are you?!" the kunoichi asks in panic. The shinobi ignores her and puts the bandaged thing on the floor, glaring at Sasuke. _What the hell is that…?_

"Kankurou… stop that."

Reika turns to look behind Sasuke, where a red-head wearing black with a huge gourd on his back is standing upside down. Reika's eyes widen. _When did he get there?_ From the shocked look on Sasuke's face, he didn't know either.

"You're an embarrassment to our village," the red-head continues. Interestingly enough, even though the red-head seems to be younger than the Suna shinobis, they look extremely terrified of him.

The shinobi in black – Kankurou – plasters on a scared smile, "G-Gaara…"

"Why do you think we came all the way here to Konoha?"

"P-Please listen to me, Gaara… T-They lashed out first…" Reika rolls her eyes at his words. _Seriously. He picked on a_ kid _and told on him to a guy who looks younger than him. How childish…_

"Shut up!" Gaara says. Kankurou flinches at his tone, "I'll kill you."

Reika raises an eyebrow at that threat.

"U-Understood. I was wrong," Kankurou ultimately says. The girl seems to be trying to console Gaara as well, "I-I'm sorry… I'm really sorry."

Gaara turns to look at Sasuke, then at Reika, and back at Sasuke, "I'm sorry about that…"

Sasuke looks straight into Gaara's eyes. _This guy… has a nasty look_.

Gaara looks at Sasuke. _To think he was able to hit that Kankurou with a tiny rock with great ease…_ he then turns to look at Reika. _And that girl rescued the kid from out of nowhere with great speed…_ _They're… good._

Reika looks at Gaara and returns his look. _He's… dangerous…_

Gaara then turns into sand and reappears beside the kunoichi. Reika raises an eyebrow at that. _Sand_ Shunshin _? Interesting…_ "Let's go," Gaara says to his companions, "We didn't come here to play around."

"…I know," Kankurou says. The three Suna shinobis then walk away.

"Hold it!" Sakura says.

"What is it?" The kunoichi asks without turning around.

"Judging from your hitai-ate, you're ninjas from Sunagakure, right? Without question, Hi no Kuni and Kaze no Kuni are allied nations. But the arbitrary coming and going of shinobi is supposed to be prohibited by the treaty," Sakura takes a step forward and stops beside Reika, "State your purpose! Depending on circumstances…"

The three Suna shinobis turn around, and the kunoichi sighs, "So this is what they mean by the darkest place being under the candlestick. Don't you know anything about it?" the kunoichi pulls out a stamped card, "This is my permit. As you say, we're Genins of Sunagakure from Kaze no Kuni. We came to this village to take the Chuunin Exam."

"Chuunin Exam…?" Naruto asks in confusion.

Reika crosses her arms in front of her chest, "It's that time already, huh…?"

"Hey, hey, Rei-chan… what is the Chuunin Exam anyways?"

Reika sighs. _You really need to read more, Naruto…_ "It's an exam that Genins take for a chance to get promoted into a Chuunin."

The kunoichi smirks at Reika, "Nice to know someone's not as ignorant as the others."

Reika returns the smirk, "A little bit of reading gets a long way, I guess."

"I see! Then maybe I'll try taking them!" Naruto says excitedly. _We're still rookies… I don't think we'll get recommended_ , Reika thinks. Kankurou scoffs as the Suna shinobis walk away.

"Hey! You there…" Sasuke says as he jumps off the tree, "What's your name?"

"Eh, m-me?" the kunoichi asks with a smile on her face. Reika sighs as she rolls her eyes. _Of course nii-san will get more fangirls_.

"No. You with the gourd," Sasuke says as he points at Gaara. He turns around slowly.

"…Sabaku no Gaara," Gaara says to Sasuke, "I have an interest in you and that girl as well. What's your name?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"And you?" Gaara asks as he looks at Reika. She returns the gaze evenly.

"…Reika."

Gaara, Sasuke, and Reika keep their eyes on each other in silence.

"Say, say! What about me?!" Naruto asks, breaking the silence.

"Not interested," Gaara says as he and his companions turn around and jump away.

Reika and Sasuke have identical smirks on their faces. Sakura's eyes widen at how similar they look right now. _Hn. Things have gotten interesting_ , Reika and Sasuke think.

xXx

"I'm home."

"Welcome back. You're late," Reika says as she sits down in front of the dining table, with food already laid out.

"Hn," Sasuke says as he sits down across Reika.

She frowns at him, "Get changed first; your clothes are dirty."

"I'm hungry," Sasuke says with a frown of his own.

"Well, you should've come home earlier then, when the food's still hot," Sasuke ignores her and starts eating. Reika sighs and starts her own meal. She looks at Sasuke and says, "It's because of that Gaara kid, isn't it?" when Sasuke pauses his eating, she knows she's right, "He's bad news. I wouldn't get close to him unless it's extremely necessary."

"…he's strong. He'll be a formidable opponent," Sasuke says. He then looks up from his food and looks straight into Reika's eyes, "Be safe, Reika-hime."

Reika sighs and looks back into her twin's identical eyes, and for once, manages to keep eye contact for more than 5 seconds, "I know. You too, Sasuke-nii-san."

"Hn."

Dinner in Uchiha household continues in silence after that.

xXx

The next day, Team 7 is, yet again, waiting for Kakashi to come to the bridge they use as a rendezvous point. After a long moment of silence, Sakura suddenly squeals.

"Hey, hey! Why is it that he's the one who always calls us out and then makes us wait?!" Sakura asks exasperatedly.

"That's right!" Naruto says.

"What's he going to do about the feelings of a maiden who accidentally overslept and resigned herself to no blow-drying?!" Sakura complains. _Simple._ Don't _oversleep. In fact, don't sleep, period_ , Reika thinks as she yawns. She, of course, wakes up extremely early from nightmares and cannot go back to sleep, so she got ready and prepared breakfast for her and her twin before they leave.

"I overslept, so I haven't washed my face and didn't brush my teeth- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says. Reika sighs.

"Y-You… that's dirty," Sakura comments. _For once, I agree with pinky_ , Reika thinks as she yawns yet again. _Where the hell did they get the energy to argue first thing in the morning, anyway? Must be because they sleep a lot…_

Reika and Sasuke turn to look at the top of the bridge and sees Kakashi flickering, "Hey, good morning, folks! Today I got a bit lost on the path of life…"

"Liar!" Naruto and Sakura shout together. Reika and Sasuke walk to stand beside Naruto and Sakura when Kakashi jumps down in front of them.

"Oh well. This is sudden, but I recommended you guys for the Chuunin Exam, so…" Reika's eyes widen when Kakashi shows them their applications. _He recommended us?_ "That being said, the recommendations are not compulsory. You guys are free to decide whether you take the exam or not."

"Yay! I love you, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto says excitedly as he jumps to hug Kakashi.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Kakashi says as he puts Naruto down, "Only those who want to take the exam, sign that application and come to Room 301 of the Academy at 3 PM five days from now. That's it!"

Reika takes the application from Kakashi and reads it through. The paper is a recommendation letter with her name on it, signed by Kakashi with a space for her own signature. Reika puts the application in her waist pouch for safekeeping. Kakashi then leaves the premises, and Team 7 walks back to the village together.

"Chuunin Exam, eh…" Naruto wonders as he continues to look at his application, "I bet lots of strong guys would be there…" he then giggles to himself.

Reika sighs. _He must be imagining things again… but… Chuunin Exam, huh? Naruto isn't wrong in saying that there must be a lot of strong people attending the exam…_ she frowns to herself. _This is an exam that is no different than a B-rank mission; there's a huge possibility of death looming around. It won't be easy, but… if I become a Chuunin, it means I could get more access to lots of information I can't get if I'm a Genin._

Reika looks forward with a determined look on her face.

 _I_ have _to become a Chuunin._

xXx

For the next few days, Reika sees a lot of ninja from other villages roaming around Konoha. There were already a lot of people roaming the village to begin with, and now with people from other villages, Reika is actually feeling a little bit suffocated by the amount of people. She's taking a walk toward the top of Hokage Mountain. While she's not the biggest fan of heights, she can't deny the amazing view she gets from up there. As long as she doesn't go near the edge, she'll be fine.

To be honest, she's a little bit worried about Sakura. She can tell that Sakura is hesitant to take the Chuunin Exam. Reika knows that only a full team are allowed to enter the Chuunin Exam. Even though the conventional team only has 3 ninjas in it, and even without Sakura, their team would still have 3 people, Reika knows that Kakashi will never let them join if not all 4 of them are in it.

Reika sits down on the grassy field on top of the mountain, overlooking the village. She smiles when she looks around. _What a view… I can enjoy the village without actually be in the village._ Her smile drops when she feels someone creeping up behind her. She smirks when the creeper stabs her with something – an umbrella – but only stabs her shadow.

She walks towards the foreign ninja from behind – from Amegakure, judging from the umbrella – and holds a kunai against his neck, "You shouldn't creep up on girls, you know. People might think you're a pervert."

When the Ame shinobi turns and tries to hit her with his umbrella, she moves too quickly for him, so, again, he hits the shadow she's left behind. Reika, who jumps after he tries to attack her, throws her kunai in midair at him and he deflects it with his umbrella. He throws the umbrella to the air when she lands and it starts showering her with senbons. She smirks. _This is nothing against Haku's speed. I can see it clearly._

Reika deflects all of the senbons coming towards her with the senbons in her right hand, which are situated in between her fingers like a claw. After she's finished, she throws the senbons towards the Ame shinobi and jumps behind him before he could throw his second umbrella at her.

"Too slow," Reika says from behind him as she stabs a senbon to a pressure point to put him down. The Ame shinobi flinches and falls to the ground. Just to be safe, Reika wires him against a tree.

"Tch. Even this place becomes too noisy."

She sighs as she leaves the mountain. She doesn't stay long enough to see the Ame shinobi transforming into Iruka.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I'm blown away. Someone just guessed something regarding the twins PERFECTLY, which is amazing! I take my hat off to you! I won't tell you what or who it is because it would be spoiler-y, so if you don't want to be spoiled, I'd suggest avoiding the reviews section xD**

 **I thought I'd explain just in case it's too confusing. At the end of the last chapter, Reika was fighting with Iruka who is disguised as an Ame ninja because Iruka is doubting Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi's decisions to recommend the rookies for Chuunin Exam, which is why he's testing them one by one. I only wrote Reika's because, well, the story focuses on her.**

 **To Miki Rukia: Kakashi's Sharingan is Obito's, not Shisui's :D Thanks for reviewing on every chapter! You're a doll.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! I'm glad that something that I wrote for my own amusement can amuse someone else as well. Here's the next chapter, I hope you guys enjoy it~**

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The next day is the Chuunin Exam day. Reika wakes up early in the morning – after a long night sleep with no dreams, for once, which gives her a bad feeling about the whole Exam – and makes breakfast for her and Sasuke. She and Sasuke spar until 9 AM, and recuperate until 10 AM before leaving for the Academy. After them, Naruto comes and the last one to arrive is Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, you're late- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says. Sakura smiles at them weakly and gives a weak wave.

"Yeah… sorry…" she looks far away and then says, "Morning… Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah…" Sasuke says.

"Morning, Reika."

"Good morning," Reika says. _There's something wrong with her today… don't tell me she's seriously forcing herself to do this…_

They exchange no more words as they enter the Academy. After they arrive at the second floor, they see a crowd up front. Reika frowns when she sees the room number. _301 at second floor? Do they think we're idiots?_

"Please let us through…" says a girl at the very front. She has her brown hair in twin buns, and she's wearing a pink Chinese top and green pants, a Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around her forehead. She walks towards room '301' only to be punched by two other shinobis who stands in front of the room.

"So mean…" says another Genin.

"What did you say…? Listen! We're being nice to you! The Chuunin Exam is a high hurdle!" says one of the shinobis blocking the way with spiky hair and bandages on his chin.

"Many times have we seen people quit being a shinobi as well as people who were disabled for life just because they took this exam," the other shinobi with brown hair, chin protector, and bandanna with a Konoha symbol on its forehead says. Team 7 walks towards the two shinobis, as well as the girl who got hit earlier. She's on the floor beside a boy with black bowl cut, wearing a green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers, bandages on his arms, who was punched earlier.

"Also, a Chuunin is at the level of a unit leader. Mission failures, death of subordinates, it's all part of the responsibilities of a leader!" the spiky haired shinobi sneers at the girl, "A brat like this a Chuunin?"

"What's so bad about weeding out those who won't pass anyway?" the bandanna-wearing shinobi says.

"A just argument," Sasuke says as he leads the rest of Team 7 forward, "However, you will let me through," he steps forward, closer to the two shinobis, "And could you also immediately undo this genjutsu barrier? I have business on the third floor."

Reika can hear people behind them muttering in confusion. Reika sighs. _Apparently there_ is _a need of weeding out. This is such a simple genjutsu, and if they pay enough attention to their surroundings, they should realize that they're still on the second floor. There's no need to realize they're in a genjutsu. Idiots…_

"Oh…?"

"So you noticed, eh?"

"How about it, Sakura?" Sasuke suddenly asks with a smirk, "You should've been the first one to realize it."

"Eh…?"

Reika smirks. _He must've realized she's been acting strange. You can be a softy at times, huh, nii-san?_

"Your analytical strength and genjutsu know-how has improved the most in our squad."

"Sasuke-kun… thank you…" Sakura says under her breath. She closes her eyes and opens them with new, determined eyes, "Of course. I realized it ages ago. You see, this is the second floor!"

"Yup!" Naruto says.

" _Now_ will you let us pass?" Reika asks with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Suddenly the genjutsu lifts and the room number turns from 301 to 201.

"Well, not bad… but all you've done is to catch on," the spiky haired shinobi says, "…right?" he then throws a pinwheel kick at Sasuke, and Sasuke is ready to deflect it with his own kick, but suddenly the bowl cut guy with green jumpsuit steps in between the two of them, catching their feet with incredible speed. Reika's eyes widen.

 _He's fast…_ really _fast. He's also very strong if he can stop their kicks_ , Reika thinks. She takes a good look at his bandaged arms and legs that are wrapped with leg warmers, and finds them just a little bit bulkier than his upper arms and legs. She frowns. _Weights…?_

The shinobi and Sasuke pull their legs away.

"Hey, this isn't what you promised," a guy with long brown hair and lavender eyes with broken white top and black pants approach the bowl cut guy. Reika recognizes those eyes; they're the same eyes as Hinata's. _A Hyuuga…?_ "You were the one who said you didn't want to carelessly attract attention and be watched."

"But…" the bowl cut guy turns to look at Sakura with a blush on his face, and the girl with the buns sighs.

"Oh man, this again…"

The bowl cut guy walks towards Sakura, "My name's Rock Lee. You're Sakura-san, right?"

"Eh?"

Lee winks and gives Sakura a thumb up, his cheeks still flushed, "Please go out with me! I'll protect you until I die!"

Reika's eyebrows shoot up. That's new.

"Absolutely…" Sakura says, her face paling, "Not."

Reika almost feels bad for Lee when his face falls, "Eh?"

"You're… too intense," Sakura says. Lee hangs his head. Naruto chuckles at the sight.

"Hey, you there," the Hyuuga kid says to Sasuke, who turns to look at him, "Identify yourself."

"When asking someone his name, give your own name first," Sasuke says haughtily. _People skills, nii-san. You need them._

"You're a rookie, right? How old are you?"

"I'm not obliged to answer."

The Hyuuga guy narrows his eyes, "What…?" Reika can see the girl in buns smiling at Sasuke. _More fangirls… make my life harder, why don't you?_ Reika thinks with a sigh.

"Sasuke-kun, we need to go," Reika finally says, "We'll be late for registration."

"Hn," Sasuke says as he turns around and walks beside Reika. For some reason, both Lee and Naruto are down about something, and they lean their heads to the wall.

"Okay! Sasuke-kun, Naruto, Reika, let's go!" Sakura says as she drags the boys towards the third floor, Reika following beside Naruto. She peeks to look behind her at the Hyuuga guy and Lee. Then she smirks when she catches the Hyuuga guy's eyes.

 _Interesting… there's so many interesting people in this exam._

xXx

 _Sasuke… Uchiha Sasuke, eh?_ Neji thinks as he looks at the retreating back of the rookies.

"Does that kid concern you?" Tenten asks him. Neji ignores her and steps forward, but then his eyes catch the black haired girl's, who then smirks at him. He stops in his tracks when he sees her. _She looks… extremely similar to that Uchiha kid. Are they related?_

"That girl… I've heard of her from Guy-sensei," Lee says.

"Which girl? The pink-haired one?" Tenten asks.

"No. The other one."

"She's a quiet one, isn't she?"

"Guy-sensei told me that Kakashi has someone in his team who is the fastest Genin in their graduating class… and I think that's her," Lee's eyes shine, "I would like to race her!"

"She doesn't look all that strong, though, does she?" Tenten wonders.

"…Look underneath the underneath," Neji says as he steps forward, "She… might be hiding something."

xXx

Team 7 walks through a hall to go to room 301 when they're stopped by a voice.

"You, with the unpleasant look. Wait a minute!"

They stop and turn when they see Lee on top of the stairs. Sakura looks frightened to see him. Reika smirks. _Now you know how nii-san feels every time he's in the presence of his fangirls._

"What is it?" Sasuke asks.

"Why don't you fight with me here and now?" Lee asks.

"A fight here and now…?" Sasuke wonders.

"Yes," Lee says. He then jumps to the floor where they are, and Reika shudders at the thought of how high he's jumping from, "My name's Rock Lee. When asking a person their name, I'm supposed to give my own name first, right? Uchiha Sasuke-kun."

"Hn. So you knew?"

"I want to fight with you!" Lee says as he goes into a battle stance, "I want to test out how effective my techniques will be against the descendant of the clan reputed for genius ninjas. Also…" Lee turns to look at Sakura, who shudders at his gaze, "Sakura-san. Love."

"Nooo! Those lower eyelashes are awful!" Sakura screams. She then holds herself as she shudders, "The hairstyle is awful, too! Those bushy eyebrows, just too intense! Everything is…!"

"You're an angel!" Lee says as he sends Sakura a wink, which Sakura avoids. Reika has to commend Lee for not giving up, because he keeps sending Sakura winks, which Sakura manages to avoid. Reika giggles to herself at Sakura's effort.

"You! Don't throw strange stuff! I was dodging for my life!" Sakura complains.

Lee's face falls, "You don't have to resent me that much…"

"To be honest, you're a naïve one," Sasuke says. "Knowing the Uchiha name and challenging me," Sasuke glares at Lee, "Do you want to realize what this name is, Bushy Brow?"

Lee, instead of looking intimidated, looks rather happy, "I insist."

"Wait!" Naruto says. Reika turns to look at him with a raised eyebrow, " _I_ am going to take out the Bushy Brow- _ttebayo_!"

"Wait, you–!"

"Big deal. I'll be able to take care of him in just five minutes!" Naruto says, cutting Sakura off.

"I'd suggest you don't underestimate him, Naruto," Reika says.

"The one I want to fight isn't you… it's Uchiha," Lee says. _And afterwards, I'd challenge that girl for a race around the village!_ He thinks.

Naruto clicks his tongue, "All these people… keep saying Sasuke, Sasuke, it's annoying- _ttebayo_!" Naruto complains as he runs towards Lee. Naruto jumps and throws a punch towards Lee, but Lee presses on the back of Naruto's fist and throws him aside without moving from his spot. Naruto presses his palms to the floor and uses them as a leverage to send a back kick at Lee, who dodges it easily.

Lee crouches and sends a rear spinning kick to throw Naruto off balance, " _Konoha Reppuu_ (Leaf Gale)!" Naruto spins around on the floor until he hits the wall.

 _This guy's taijutsu… is impressive_ , Reika mentally admits. _It's strong, precise, and fast. He's quite lethal_.

Lee straightens up again and puts his right arm to his front and his left in his back, "I declare. You are absolutely no match for me. Because… among the Konoha Genin, I am the strongest now."

Reika honestly doesn't doubt that. If he could stop Sasuke's kick with his bare hands, he's definitely quite strong.

Sasuke smirks, "Hn. Interesting. I'll do it."

Reika sighs in resignation, "Don't take too long, Sasuke-kun. We've only got less than 30 minutes until 3."

"Don't worry. I'll finish this in 5."

Sasuke runs towards Lee and jumps to land a punch on him, but Lee quickly moves aside. Sasuke's eyes widen. _He's… almost as fast as Reika-hime!_

Lee reappears in the air and delivers a rear spinning kick in midair at Sasuke, " _Konoha Senpuu_ (Leaf Whirlwind)!" Sasuke ducks to avoid it. Lee uses his hand as leverage on the floor and delivers another speedy spinning kick. _His speed is similar to Reika-hime's… but his taijutsu skills are infinitely better than hers. I can't get out of the way fast enough!_ Sasuke uses his arms to guard his face, but for some reason, Lee makes a hand seal and his kick gets past his defense.

Reika bites her lower lip. _He's sparred with me, sure… but I'm not as good at taijutsu as this guy… He must have no idea how to counter him._ Reika's can only watch as Sasuke's body is thrown meters away. _He used his arms to guard himself, but…_ Reika turns to look at Lee. _He's something else. He managed to land a kick on nii-san._

Sasuke smirks, "I'll do it," he says as he closes his eyes. Reika's eyes widen. _No way. He's going to use his Sharingan here? He's serious…_ Reika remembers demanding Sasuke to use his Sharingan at least once in every one of their sparring matches. She might have yet to develop them, but if she can counter the Sharingan, it would be a huge advantage. She's glad to see that both of his eyes have two tomoes now.

Reika's eyes widen in shock when Lee delivers a kick from the ground to Sasuke's chin, throwing him to the air. _No way! He should've been able to see his movements and counter them!_ Reika turns to look at Lee. _He's… something else. He hasn't been using ninjutsu or genjutsu… it's all pure taijutsu!_

"That's right… my technique is neither ninjutsu nor genjutsu!" Lee says, confirming Reika's theory. He dashes forward towards Sasuke who has landed. Even though some of Lee's attacks can be dodged or guarded by Sasuke, his attacks hit Sasuke more times than they don't.

"That's right. My technique is mere taijutsu… Sasuke-kun," Lee says as he jumps in the air in an incredible speed, quickly reappearing behind Sasuke, "You may not be able to believe it just like that, but…"

Sasuke tries to hit him with his elbow, but Lee's too fast and he avoids it by jumping backwards, creating a distance between them.

"It's said that the Sharingan has the ability to spot all genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. Make no mistake, the Sharingan reads ninjutsu and genjutsu that require the principle of building up chakra and weaving seals and can most surely handle such jutsu. However, only taijutsu is a little bit different."

"W-What do you mean?!"

"Even if you can spot my movements with the Sharingan, your body is not equipped with the speed to respond to my taijutsu. In other words, even if you understand with your eyes, there's nothing you can do if your body can't keep up. Do you know? There are two types of strong people; genius types and effort types. If your Sharingan is a genius type drawing Uchiha ability, I'm an effort-type who has patiently mastered only taijutsu. In a manner of speaking, your Sharingan and my ultimate taijutsu have the worst compatibility."

Even as Lee is speaking, he gracefully avoids and deflects all of Sasuke's attacks. Lee finally retaliates with a rear kick to Sasuke's chin, which sends him into the air once again. Lee then jumps and reappears behind Sasuke, who's still in midair.

Reika's eyes widen, "… _Kage Buyou_ (Shadow of the Dancing Leaf) _…_ "

Sakura turns to look at Reika, "Eh?"

"He's mirroring Sasuke-kun's movement in midair… what is he going to do…?" Reika wonders.

"And I shall prove it with this technique…" Lee says as the bandages on left hand begin to unravel, "Prove that effort exceeds the genius," Lee narrows his eyes in determination, "It's my victory!"

Before Lee could do anything, something – a pinwheel – stabbing Lee's unraveled bandage to the wall, stopping his movements. Reika turns to look at her side and her eyes widen when she sees a pink turtle.

"That's as far as it goes, Lee!" the turtle says. _W-Whose Summon is this…?_

Lee then jumps to the ground, leaving Sasuke suspended on air. Reika grits her teeth and flickers to the air before Sasuke can reach the ground, and flickers again to the ground beside Sakura. She scans his body and frowns when she sees him bruised here and there. Lee kneels before the pink turtle.

"Are you okay, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asks. Sasuke doesn't answer as he keeps glaring at Lee and the turtle.

"Y-You were watching?" Lee asks as he looks down to the ground.

"Lee! That technique just now is prohibited, you know!" the turtle says.

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Lee says. He dares himself to look at the turtle's eyes, and it glares at him. Lee stands up in fear, "B-But, of course, I didn't even remotely have a mind to use the hidden technique…"

Sasuke's, Reika's, and Sakura's eyes widen in confusion as they witness Lee defending himself to get out of being scolded by a turtle. _Could it be… that turtle is his sensei's Summon?_

"Hey, hey…" Naruto says as he approaches them. Apparently he's woken up from his state of unconsciousness, "That thing… is a turtle, right? Right?" Naruto asks as he points at the pink turtle.

"Isn't it obvious?!" Sakura says.

"Say, say…! Can even a turtle become a ninja teacher?"

"I don't know!"

"Fool!" the turtle suddenly says. Lee flinches, "You think such excuse will work?! You should know very well what it means for a shinobi to give away his technique!"

"I… I know…"

Reika can practically _feel_ her brother seething. He must be mad because he just got his ass handed to him by someone who's being scolded by a freaking turtle.

"Have you prepared yourself?" the turtle asks. Lee nods in affirmation, "Alright, if you will, Guy-sensei!"

Suddenly a man that looks and dresses _horrifyingly_ similar to Lee, only with a Jounin vest, shows up on top of the turtle's shell, "Man! Life treating you good, huh?!" he says.

Team 7's eyes widen in shock at his entrance and his visual.

"Whoa… an even more intense guy has appeared- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says.

"Yo, Lee!" the man says with a wink.

"Super intense. The extreme bowl cut… t-those are some incredibly raging brows… I've never seen anything like that in my life," Naruto comments.

Lee turns around and glares at them in annoyance, "H-Hey! You guys! Don't mock Guy-sensei!"

Naruto gives Lee his own glare, "Shut up! I'm at a loss for a reaction because of those bizarre things appearing one after another!"

"What?!"

"Hey, Lee! Drop it!" the man – Guy – says to Lee. He turns around to look at his sensei and complies. All of a sudden, Guy hits Lee's face with an incredible force, "Idiot!"

Again, Team 7's eyes widen in shock. Lee falls to the ground and writhes. Guy approaches him and kneels before him as Lee pulls himself up.

"Lee, you… you…"

"S-Sensei…!"

All of a sudden they start to cry and they hug in tears – even the turtle is crying, what the hell – and Reika's eye twitches in confusion, "…my brain is fried from all the weirdness…"

"That sort of tone's kind of nice, too," Naruto says. Reika shakes her head immediately.

"I-Idiot! That's dangerous! Very dangerous!" Sakura says. Reika doesn't want to follow their conversation anymore for fear of becoming dumb from all the brain cells they fry with their weirdness, but it's like watching an accident; it's hard to look away.

"Now then, take a hundred laps around the training field toward that setting sun!" Guy commands.

"Yes, sensei!"

 _What setting sun…? It's only 2.45 PM…_ Reika's eyes widen in realization. _2.45 PM?! We're going to be late!_

"Hey, wait a minute!" Naruto says, "We're in the middle of a conversation!"

"What are you going to do about the Chuunin Exam?!" Sakura asks, "There's no time!"

Guy stops in his tracks. He seems to only have remembered about the exams, "Huh? Oh, that's right…" he clears his throat and says, "Lee, you will be punished for attempting to break the prohibition on top of fighting in principle, after the Chuunin Exam."

Lee salutes his sensei, "Okay!"

"Five hundred howls of youth!"

"Yes, sir!"

"…idiots…" Sakura says. Reika has to agree to that.

"Say, say! What's with that turtle?" Naruto asks. _He's_ still _going on about the turtle?_ Reika thinks as she slaps a hand to her forehead.

"Oh! No, he's looking this way!" Sakura says. Reika looks back to her front and sure enough, Guy is looking at them.

"You guys… how's Kakashi-sensei?"

"You know Kakashi…?" Sasuke asks.

"I know him all too well," Guy then chuckles to himself, "People call us… eternal rivals."

Reika raises an eyebrow. _No way…_

"Sounds like a lie!" Naruto and Sakura say.

"What are you saying?! Guy-sensei really is…"

"That's fine," Guy says, cutting Lee off mid-sentence, "Action speaks louder than words anyway."

Reika notices Guy moving and turns her head one second before Guy reappears behind them. From her side, Sasuke is trembling.

"By the way, my record is 50 wins and 49 losses."

Team 7, except for Reika, turns around in shock, "When did he…?" Naruto asks.

"One thing, I'm stronger than Kakashi," Guy says as he winks and grins at them, his teeth shining in the light.

 _But then again… if he really is Lee's sensei… there is a possibility of him being an equivalent of Kakashi-sensei. I mean, Guy-sensei_ is _a Jounin…_ Reika scrutinizes Guy. _He's also fast… faster than Kakashi-sensei…_

"How about that?! Guy-sensei is awesome, isn't he?!" Lee says.

"This time around, Lee caused the trouble. Out of consideration for my face, forgive him. Out of consideration for this pleasant face."

Reika stops listening to Guy when she feels Sasuke trembling beside her. He's glaring at the floor. She places a hand on his shoulder, and he jumps, turning to look at Reika. She raises an eyebrow in question, and he sighs, shaking his head.

"You guys and Lee should probably go to the classroom pretty soon," Guy throws a kunai at the pinwheel holding Lee's bandage. Reika watches as Lee reinforces the bandages around his bruised hand. _His hand… it's mangled. He's not kidding when he says he's the effort type of strong person._

"Then, do your best, Lee! Farewell!" Guy says as he salutes.

"Yes, sir!"

Then Guy flickers away from the scene, much to the shock of Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. Reika raises an eyebrow in confusion over their shock. _Aren't they used to me doing that all the time already? They should be used to seeing someone who's fast… have I not been fast enough?_ Reika thinks with a frown.

"Sasuke-kun," Lee calls out, "I have one last thing to tell you. I actually came here to verify my own ability. I lied before. The strongest man of Konoha's Genins might be on my team. I'm entering in order to defeat that person. And, you are one of my targets," he then turns to Reika, who jumps at his sudden attention.

"You are Reika, correct?" Lee asks. Reika frowns, but she nods, "Guy-sensei told me that you are the fastest Genin amongst the rookies; you are also one of my targets. I'd like to challenge you to a race after or during the Exam."

Reika doesn't really know what to say to that, and thanks God when she realizes that he doesn't expect an answer from her.

"Please prepare yourselves for the Exam!" Lee says before jumping up to the second floor balcony and leaving the hall. From beside her, Reika can feel Sasuke still seething.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura says worriedly.

"Ha! So… I guess Uchiha clan's not all that, huh?" Naruto says. Reika flinches as her hand twitches.

"Naruto!" Sakura reprimands.

"Tch. Shut up!" Sasuke says as he grits his teeth, "I'll knock him flat next time!"

"Huh. Coming from someone who just got whipped."

"Hey– what's your problem, Naruto?!" Sakura asks.

"You saw it too, didn't you? His hand…" Sasuke's eyes widen, "That Bushy Brow probably did a heck of a lot of special training, day after day… more than you have. That's all it is," Naruto says.

Sasuke looks away, while Reika watches his back with her arms crossed in front of her chest. _I can't say Naruto's wrong… because he's probably right. Lee's training is definitely different from ours._

"Hn," Sasuke scoffs, "It's starting to get interesting… this Chuunin Exam," Reika smirks as she finds herself agreeing with him, "What's next…?"

"Yeah!" Naruto and Sakura agrees.

"Let's go, Naruto! Reika! Sakura!"

"Yeah!" Naruto exclaims.

They make their way towards Room 301 side by side.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: It's another Saturday, which means another new chapter of Secrets. Just in case people don't know, I will be updating this story twice a week, which is every Saturday and Sunday where I am, with no specific time, unless something happens. Even if something does happen, I will inform you guys beforehand.**

 **To Miki Rukia: _-ttebayo_ or _dattebayo_ is a vocal tic that Naruto says whenever he's excited or mad. It doesn't have any particular meaning, but in the English dub, I believe it's translated as "Believe it!" So for example, if Naruto were to introduce himself, instead of saying " _Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto!_ " (I am Uzumaki Naruto!), he'd say " _Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo!_ " which has the same meaning as the first one.**

 **At least that's what I know, haha. If it's wrong, please someone tell me :)**

 **Thanks a lot for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

When they arrive at Room 301, Kakashi is already waiting for them in front of the room.

"I see. Sakura, you've come too," Kakashi says. Team 7 raises their eyebrows in confusion. _I see… so Kakashi-sensei also knows that she was hesitant to join…_ Reika thinks, "Now you can formally register for the Chuunin Exam."

Sakura lets out a sound of shock, "What do you mean?"

"Actually, from the start, only three-man squads, or in your special case, four-man squad, could apply and take the exams."

"But sensei, you said that the decision to take the exams was up to the individual," Sakura says.

"Yes… I said that," Kakashi says nonchalantly.

"Were you lying?" Sakura asks.

Kakashi looks away, "Yes, I was… if I said that, Sasuke and Naruto would probably forcefully convince you to take it," Kakashi turns to look at Sakura, "Even if you didn't have the will to apply, if Sasuke asks you, you would attempt to take the exams half-heartedly. For Sasuke's sake and, well, Naruto and Reika's."

"Then, if… it had only been Sasuke, Naruto and Reika who had come here? They would still be a three-man squad, right?"

"That may be so, but you are originally a four-man squad. I recommended a four-man squad, not three. You exited the Academy as a four-man squad, you'll enter the Exam as a four-man squad. Even if Sasuke, Naruto, and Reika are the only ones who come, I would've stopped the Exam here. I wouldn't have felt like letting them go beyond this point. But… you guys came here on your own will. Sakura! Sasuke! Reika! Naruto!" Kakashi closes his eye in a smile, "I'm glad you came. You're a team I'm proud of."

Kakashi steps aside from the door, "Now then, go on!"

"Okay! Let's go!" Naruto exclaims as they all step forward into the room. The second they step into the room and the doors are closed, Naruto says under his breath with wide eyes, "W-Wow…"

Sasuke's eyes narrow, Reika takes a good look around the room, Sakura's eyes widen as she says, "W-What's with… this?"

The room is filled with ninjas from various villages with various characteristics. All of them seem pretty intimidating compared to them. Every ninja in the room turn to look at the newcomers. From beside her, Sakura is gulping in fear. Reika sighs and places a hand on her back without looking at her to somewhat reassure her. Sakura jumps, and Reika lets her hand fall.

"Sasuke-kun, you're late!"

Reika's hand twitches in annoyance when Sasuke is bombarded by Ino.

"I thought I'd be able to see you for the first time in a while, so I was waiting in excitement!"

"Get away from Sasuke, Ino-pig!" Sakura growls.

"Oh my. It's Sakura. Your billboard brow hasn't change, eh, Ugly?!"

"What did you say?!"

Reika sighs as she rolls her eyes. She crosses her arms in front of her chest and closes her eyes. _So noisy…_

"What's up with this?" Reika's eyes shoot open at the familiar voice. She doesn't know it, but she has a ghost of a smile on her face, "Are you guys going to take this troublesome Exam too?" Shikamaru asks, Chouji standing beside him, demolishing a packet of potato chip.

Reika raises a hand in a small wave, which Shikamaru and Chouji accept with a wave of their own.

"Oh, it's the idiot trio!" Naruto says.

"Quit calling us that!" Shikamaru protests, "Man, this is such a drag…"

"Reika, potato chip?" Chouji offers. Reika smirks as she takes one.

"Thanks, Chouji," Reika says. She doesn't know why, but from what Reika knows, Chouji only has two people he doesn't mind sharing his food with; Shikamaru and her. He's such a kind soul, Reika doesn't know how he'll cope being a ninja.

"Yahoo, I found you!" Reika sighs in exasperation as one of the main sources of noise has arrived, "My, my, everybody's here. Including Little Miss Sunshine," Reika glares silently at Inuzuka Kiba's nickname for her. He's so loud and noisy, while Reika likes her silence, and apparently he's made it his mission to make Reika's life a living hell by trying to get a reaction out of her.

"H-Hello…" Hyuuga Hinata greets from behind Kiba. When she looks away and starts to turn red, Reika knows that she has been staring at Naruto for too long. Aburame Shino, who stands on the other side of Kiba, stands silently. Reika doesn't really mind him, because he's quiet, but she knows he's a mystery. As someone who likes puzzles, Reika really wants to crack him.

"What did you say? You guys too? Geez…" Shikamaru complains lazily.

"Ha! I see. This means all ten Genin rookies are taking the Exam, eh…?" Kiba says, "Now, then… how far can we go? Right… Sasuke-kun?"

 _God, will you just shut your trap…?_ Reika sighs as she rolls her eyes.

"Hn. You're mighty confident, Kiba," Sasuke says with a smirk.

"We've trained a great deal, so… we won't lose to you guys!"

"Shut up- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says. _See? Even Naruto's annoyed by you_ , Reika thinks, "I don't know about Sasuke, but I sure won't lose to the likes of you!"

"Hmph! What about you, Little Miss Sunshine? Are you going to light up the way with your bright disposition?" Kiba asks Reika, sarcasm clear in his voice. Reika sighs.

"I'll burn your hair with my brightness, Kiba," she then gives him a sarcastic smile, "Oh right, you don't have any."

"S-Shut up! I _have_ hair!"

"I'm sorry if I don't believe you; I'm not the one wearing a furry hood to hide my receding hairline with the help of my dog," Akamaru barks at her, "You're cute, Akamaru, but your owner isn't."

Chouji suddenly steps towards Kiba, his eyes firmly on Akamaru, but Shino steps in between them, "What is it?" Chouji asks. Shino doesn't say anything as he looks to the ground, and Chouji follows his gaze. A bug is inches away from Chouji's foot.

"Don't step on it," Shino says.

"Huh?"

"I said, don't step on it."

"You're… gonna eat that?" Reika slaps a hand to her forehead lightly. _Chouji, not everyone wants to eat everything._

"Hey, you guys!" Reika turns to look at her right and sees a guy with long, tied silver hair, wearing glasses and a Konoha hitai-ate approaching them, "You should be a little quieter."

Reika narrows her eyes at him. _He… doesn't seem like good news_.

"You guys are the 'Rookie 10'… fresh out of the Academy, right? Carrying on like that with cute faces… geez. This isn't a field trip."

"Who are you, acting all haughty?!" Ino asks in irritation.

"I'm Yakushi Kabuto," Kabuto introduces himself, "Anyway, take a good look around you."

The Rookie 10 follows his advice and looks around the room. They find that pretty much everyone in the room are glaring at them.

"Behind you… they're from Amegakure. They're hot-tempered," Kabuto says, "Everyone's tense before the Exam. I thought I'd warn you guys before you get your butts kicked… I guess it can't be helped. You're rookies who don't know left from right. You remind me of my old self."

"Kabuto-san, right?" Sakura starts.

"Yes…"

"Then, is this your second time?"

"No…" Kabuto says, "It's my seventh."

"Huh?" Shikamaru says as he raises an eyebrow.

"This Exam is only held twice a year, so it's now my fourth year."

"Then, does that mean you know a lot about these exams?" Sakura asks excitedly.

"Well, kind of…"

"No kidding. Kabuto-san, you're pretty awesome, huh?" Naruto says.

 _No, not really,_ Reika thinks. _There must be some kind of reason he failed 6 times before. Either he's just very weak, or… he's very calculating_.

"Is the Chuunin Exam that high a hurdle?" Shikamaru asks, then he sighs, "Geez, this is really troublesome…"

"Then, maybe I'll give a bit of information to my cute kouhai," Kabuto pulls out orange cards from his pocket and fans them out, "With these Ninja Info Cards."

"Ninja Info Cards?" Sakura wonders.

"To put it simply, they're cards that have information burned into them and coded with chakra," Kabuto kneels on the floor and puts the stack of card on the floor, "I spent four whole years gathering information for this Exam. There are close to 200 of these cards," he takes a card from the deck and turns it, revealing a white, empty card, "They're pure white to the eye. To open the data on these cards…" Kabuto presses a finger on the card and it spins on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asks.

"The way it works is that no one can see the info without using my chakra. For example, like this…" the card stops spinning and exudes a little bit of smoke, and the card that was blank has now turned into a map of the world.

"Wow, amazing! What information is this?" Sakura asks.

"The number of test takers and participating nations, and the number of applicants from each respective village is individually displayed," Kabuto looks up from his card to them, "Why do you think that the Chuunin Exam is jointly conducted in the first place?"

"…to deepen friendship among nations and to boost the shinobi levels," Reika answers, reciting from what she has read in a random book once. She's looking straight at Kabuto with emotionless eyes, but she can feel her fellow rookies looking at her.

"Yes… that's what they say, isn't it?" Kabuto asks with a mysterious smile on his face.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks.

"The real aim is to check the shinobi levels of neighboring nations and keeping power balance equal," Kabuto answers.

"Why such troublesome things?" Shikamaru asks. Kabuto places a hand on top of the map and the card turns blank once again.

"If that's not done, the weak nation will be invaded by the strong nations in no time at all and may end up being controlled unilaterally. There's a point to mutual supervision. Probably," Kabuto says.

"Hmph," Shikamaru huffs.

"Of those cards, are there ones with detailed individual information?" Sasuke asks.

"Yes, there are…" Kabuto says with a smirk, "Are there ones you're concerned about?"

Sasuke narrows his eyes, "There are."

"The information for the applicants this time around is not perfect, but is burned in and saved," Kabuto says as he replaces the card on the floor to the deck. He looks up at them and smirks, "Including you guys, about those 'ones you're concerned about', who you know. Anything's fine. Tell me their information and I'll retrieve it for you."

"Gaara of Sunagakure and Rock Lee of Konoha," Sasuke says.

"Oh, you even know their names. That makes it quick," Kabuto slices the air above his deck of cards and produces two cards, "Here they are."

"Show me," Sasuke demands.

"Well then, first is Rock Lee," Kabuto places the cards on top of each other on the floor and presses his fingers on it. The card spins and the blank part is now filled with information on Lee, "He's one year older than you guys. His mission experience is 20 D-ranks and 11 C-ranks. His squad leader is Guy. In just this year, his taijutsu has drastically improved, but his other skills are not good at all. Last year, he'd attracted attention as a Genin rookie with his ability, but didn't participate in the Chuunin Exam. Just like you guys, this is his first time taking the exams. His teammates are Tenten and Hyuuga Neji."

"Huh? Hyuuga?" Naruto wonders. _So he really_ is _a Hyuuga… I wonder what his relationship with Hinata is_ , Reika thinks. Kabuto takes the other card from the bottom of Lee's card and places it on top.

"Next is Sabaku no Gaara," he does the same thing with the previous cards and the blank card turns into Gaara's information card, "His mission experience is 8 C-ranks, B-ranks… wow, 1 B-rank as a Genin, eh… he's a shinobi from a different land and is a rookie, so there is no further detailed information," Kabuto looks up from his card, "But… it seems he has returned from all of his mission uninjured," Kabuto says as he fixes his glasses.

Reika's eyes widen. _8 C-ranks and 1 B-rank as a Genin, but no injuries? How is that even possible? We went on a B-rank mission disguised as a C-rank and almost got ourselves killed!_ All _of us!_

"What is this guy?" Naruto wonders.

Kabuto places another card on the floor and presses his finger on it. This one turns into the map they saw earlier, "Konoha, Suna, Ame, Kusa, Taki, Oto… there are lots of exceptional Genins from those villages who have come to take the Exam this year as well. Well, as far as Otogakure no Sato goes, it's a village of a small nation that just sprang up in recent years, so there isn't much information," Kabuto replaces his cards back on the deck, "At any rate, they're all Hidden Villages with nothing but crackerjacks."

"T-That kind of makes you lose your confidence…" Hinata says.

"Why are you saying that now?!" Ino asks.

"In other words… all of the applicants who have gathered here…" Sakura trails off.

"That's right. Not just Lee and Gaara, but they're all choice top elite Genin from each nation," Kabuto says, "This isn't going to be easy."

Reika scoffs lightly. _Of course it won't. If it's so easy, everyone would be Chuunin._ Reika raises an eyebrow when she sees Naruto trembling. _Is he really_ that _overwhelmed? But I really wouldn't blame him. I don't know what Kakashi-sensei's thinking when he recommended us._

"Hey, Naruto! Don't be so scared… huh?" Sakura's attempt at cheering Naruto up is cut off by Naruto shouting and pointing at the other examinees.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I won't lose to any of you! Got it?!" Naruto shouts with a grin on his face.

Reika rolls her eyes with a smirk. _I'm an idiot for thinking he'd be scared. My bad._

"Hey, what's with him?!" Ino asks Sakura in annoyance, "It won't do any good to provoke everyone!"

"Don't tell me!" Sakura replies.

"If I don't tell it to you, who do I tell it to?!"

Reika squeezes her eyes shut as she pinches the bridge of her nose. _So noisy…_

"Your teammate's really troublesome," Shikamaru says to Reika. She opens her eyes to look at Naruto, who's heaving a sigh of relief.

Reika scoffs, "You have no idea."

"'I won't lose any of you', you say?" Kiba asks with a smirk, "You said it."

Sakura rushed towards Naruto and holds him in a chokehold, "What are you talking big for, you?!"

"But I just said the truth- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says as he chokes. Sakura flinches and keeps an arm on Naruto while trying to console the crowd.

 _Too late_ , Reika thinks as she yawns. Her eyes open abruptly when she sees movement from within the crowd.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asks when he realizes that his friend has become more alert. Reika doesn't answer him as she continues to scan the crowd.

 _They're fast… and they managed to move without being noticed by everyone else_ , Reika thinks as she looks to where Kabuto is. An Otogakure ninja with black spiky hair and khaki top throws two kunais at Kabuto's avoids it by sliding backwards, but then another Oto ninja, this one's back is hunched and has bandages around his face except for his left eye, makes a hand seal in front of him and sends a punch, which Kabuto dodges.

 _They're not so fast that I can't see their movements,_ Reika smirks.

But all of a sudden, Kabuto's glasses start to crack and break into pieces. Reika frowns.

"I see… it's that kind of attack, eh?" Kabuto wonders as he takes the frame of his glasses off.

"What's going on?" Sasuke asks, "He was supposed to have evaded it. Why did that happen to his glasses?"

"Probably grazed the tip of his nose," Shikamaru says.

Suddenly, Kabuto's eyes widen and he falls to his knees, puking. Reika frowns, "That's definitely not an ordinary attack," she says. Naruto and Sakura rush to his side.

"Kabuto-nii-chan!"

"Are you okay?!"

"Yeah… I'm okay."

"Oh, so he's not so special," the hunchback Oto shinobi says, "Even though he's a veteran who's been taking the exams for four whole years."

"Write this on your card," the spiky black haired Oto shinobi says, "The three from Otogakure will definitely become Chuunin."

 _Their attack is not so fast that it's impossible to read. Someone who's been through 6 Chuunin Exam would be able to read it. But even after dodging it, he still gets hurt_ , Reika thinks with a frown.

Suddenly a billow of smoke comes from the front of the class, "Silence, you degenerates!"

Everyone's attention shifts from the back of the room to the front. A tall man with scarred face and dark clothing is standing in the middle of Konoha shinobis wearing dark blue uniform.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm the proctor for the first test of the Chuunin Exam, Morino Ibiki," he then points to the back of the room, "You, from Otogakure! No doing as you please before the Exam! You want to be failed at the get go?!" he scolds.

"Sorry," the hunchback Oto shinobi says, "It's our first time taking the Exams, so we couldn't control our excitement."

Ibiki smirks, "Hmph. This is a good opportunity, so I'll say this; there will be no battles, competitions and the like without the permission of the proctors! And even if you get permission, actions that could lead to the death of an opponent will not be permitted," he glares at everyone in the room, "Any pig that screws with me will be disqualified immediately. Got it?"

The spiky haired Oto shinobi scoffs, "This Exam seems easy!" to which the uniformed shinobis up front snickers at.

"Now then, we will start the first test of the Chuunin Exam! Turn in your applications, take one of these number cards in exchange, and sit in the seat matching that number! After that, we will hand out the paper for the written test!"

Reika's eyes widen at Ibiki's words. She didn't see that coming.

"A paper test?!" Naruto exclaims.

 _Right… He's doomed._


	12. Chapter 12

Reika follows the crowd and exchanges her application with a card with the number 71 on it. After everyone has been seated, the proctors hand out a piece of paper, two pencils, and an eraser. She looks around the room. The Rookie 10 are scattered all across the room, except for Hinata and Naruto, who are sitting right next to each other. Reika sighs as she puts her elbows on the table, putting her chin on top of her hands.

Ibiki presses a chalk to the board, gaining everyone's attention, "There are several important rules to this first test. I will take no questions, so listen well accordingly!" he starts writing on the board, "First rule: you are given 10 points each from the start. The written test has 10 problems in all, each problem is worth 1 point. This test is a point deduction system. You are deducted 1 point for each problem you get wrong. If you get 3 wrong, you'll have 7 points.

"Second rule: pass or failure will be determined by the total points of the teams."

Not only Reika, but everyone in the room lets out a sound of surprise. Reika clicks her tongue. _Okay, I'll take it back. Naruto's not doomed._ We're _doomed._

"W-Wait a minute!" Sakura interjects, "What do you mean by total points of the teams?!"

"Shut up! There's a perfectly good reason for this! Shut up and listen!" Ibiki scolds, "If you got it, here's the most important next rule! Those who are deemed by the sentinels as having committed an act of cheating or something similar to that will have 2 points deducted for each act. In other words… there may be those who will be dismissed during this test without having their tests graded."

Reika frowns. _Why would they deduct points from cheating instead of just failing them immediately after they find someone cheating? It's like they're giving us the option to cheat…_

"Know that those who commit awkward cheating will bring ruin upon yourselves."

Awkward _cheating? That just means that we just have to not get caught doing it_ , Reika smirks.

"I'm keeping my eyes on you," Kotetsu, who's one of the sentinels, say. Reika recognizes his face because she sees him wandering around the village pretty much all the time.

"If you aspire to become a Chuunin at all, know that shinobi should act like exemplary shinobi. And in the case of even one person on the team getting 0 points, everyone on that team will fail!"

Reika curses under her breath. _Nii-san and Sakura are smart; I'm not worried about them at all. But Naruto…_ she peeks to where Naruto is sitting and sees him cowering. She can tell that Sasuke and Sakura are glaring at him.

"By the way, the last problem will be given 45 minutes after the start of the test. The time for the test is 1 hour," Reika closes her eyes and listens to the ticking of the clock. Right after the second needle strikes 12, she opens her eyes as Ibiki shouts, "Begin!"

Reika straightens up on her seat and turns her paper around. She takes a pencil in her left hand and leans her right elbow to the table, holding her chin up with her right hand. She writes down her name, scans the whole paper and sighs deeply. _There is…_ no _way in hell Naruto can answer any of this. I don't even think nii-san can answer more than a third of it._

The first problem is a code text. Reika loves puzzles and codes, so this one is a breeze to her. She moves on to the second problem.

 _Hmm… "The parabola B in the diagram illustrates the greatest possible distance Enemy Ninja A can throw his shuriken from a tree 7 meters high. Predict the Enemy Ninja's character inferred from the ellipse this shuriken forms, also write down the longest firing range in battle on flat ground and explain your basis." Interesting… not only does this test one's ability on predicting uncertain conditions, but also one's ability to analyze dynamic energy. I don't think a lot of people can answer this._

She may not know the perfect answer to that – if there is even any, when it comes to someone's character – but she can answer this one. Reika is not surprised when she reads through the problems and finds that they get even more difficult one right after the other, the last question being the hardest. Reika sighs. _Do I even want to know how difficult the last question will be…? Honestly, with questions this hard… it's like they wanted us to cheat._

Reika's eyes widen just a little bit in realization. _What if… they_ do _want us to cheat? Instead of failing someone who cheats right after catching them, they deduct 2 points from that person. That means they're giving us 5 chances to cheat until they kick us out. Ibiki-san also said something about awkward cheating will bring ruin upon ourselves… that just means we need to be subtle and stealthy enough to get our answer without getting caught for more than 4 times. Those sentinels are here to pinpoint the 'awkward cheaters'._

She smirks at Ibiki's figure at the front of the class. _'Shinobi must act like exemplary shinobi', huh…? Well, as shinobis, we_ do _have to have stealth and good information gathering abilities_ , Reika scoffs. _They're not kidding when we have to look underneath the underneath…_ She looks to where Sasuke is and bites her lower lip. _Nii-san, I'm sure you can figure out the real aim of this test. So figure it out quickly!_

Reika straightens up and scans the people around her without moving her head. _If the aim really is to test someone's information gathering ability… they must've snuck someone who knows the right answer to all the problems amongst the examinees._ Don't get her wrong; she knows the answers to problems 8 and 9, the remaining ones she hasn't answered. She just wants to get her hands a little bit dirty, just for the hell of it.

She finds a shinobi a seat to her left, two rows in front of her, who's writing down his answers quite fluently, like he doesn't have any problem answering the questions. _Argh, if only I have the Sharingan… I'll be able to copy his movement. Nii-san, you lucky bastard…_ Reika curses mentally. She narrows her eyes at the shinobi and tries to break down his movements little by little. _I've trained my eye to catch things before I develop my Sharingan… I can do this!_

She keeps her eye on the shinobi's hand, and smirks when she can start "seeing" what he's writing. When he gets to the last two questions, Reika writes down what she thinks he's writing on the answer box. When they're both done, she compares it with what she knows, and smirks when her answer is similar to the one she got from the shinobi.

Reika puts her pencil down. _Now… the question would be… does Naruto and Sakura realize the real aim behind this test? Especially Naruto… he's the most problematic one in our team_ , Reika frowns in worry when she realizes that Naruto is shaking slightly. _Man, he's a nervous wreck… I don't think he can think clearly, let alone answer any of those questions_.

Reika sighs as she crosses her arms on top of the table. She still has around 25 minutes until the last question. She puts her head down to her crossed arms and closes her eyes. She lifts her head slowly when she hears the tell-tale sound of a kunai stabbing wood. A shinobi seated right behind Naruto has a kunai stabbed to his paper.

The shinobi stands up and asks, "W-What was that for?!"

"You made 5 mistakes. You fail," Kotetsu says, "His two buddies, all three of you get out of the classroom, right now."

Two other shinobis, presumably the first shinobi's teammates, stand up from their seats and leave the classroom with no words said, followed by the first shinobi.

"#23 fails!"

"#43 and #27 fail!"

The examinees start to fall like flies, including the person Reika cheated off from. Some of them even have to be manhandled out of the room. One of them challenged the sentinels only to be slammed to the wall.

"#59 fails!"

"#33! #9!"

"#41 fails."

"#35, #62 fails!"

Reika sighs when she realizes that there is no way she can sleep if there's some kind of interruption every other minute. She opts to just rest her chin on top of her crossed hands and look around the room. At some point, Kankurou raises his hand and asks to go to the bathroom. He's then handcuffed and accompanied by a sentinel to the bathroom.

"Alright!" Ibiki says, a few minutes after Kankurou left for the bathroom, "Here is the tenth question!"

Reika lifts her head from the table and looks straight at Ibiki.

"But before that… I'm going to add some rules for the last question."

 _More rules?_ Reika wonders with a frown. Before Ibiki can continue, the door to the classroom opens. Kankurou has returned from the bathroom.

Ibiki smirks, "Hmph. Aren't you lucky? It looks like playing with the dolls wasn't a waste after all," Reika frowns at his words, "Anyway, sit down."

Kankurou sits back down, and Ibiki steps forward, "Let me explain. Here are the hopeless rules. First, you guys will have to choose whether or not you will take this tenth question."

Reika's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"What? Choose?!" the Suna kunoichi that came with Gaara asks, "What happens if you choose not to take the tenth question?!"

"If you choose not to take the exam, then your score will be 0; in other words, you fail. Of course, the same goes for their teammates."

Reika bites down her lower lip. _That's not exactly giving us a choice…_

"And… one more rule… if you choose to take it and are unable to answer it correctly, then you will have to relinquish your right of taking the Chuunin Exam forever."

Reika's eyes widen. _What the…?_

"What kind of ridiculous rule is that?!" Kiba asks, "Besides, there are plenty of people here who have taken the Chuunin Exam many times!"

To Reika's horror, Ibiki laughs. _He's… enjoying this… what a sadist_.

"It's just your luck that I make the rules this year. But I did give you the option to go back," Ibiki says with a smirk on his face. Kiba falters, "For those of you who aren't confident, you can choose not to take it and take the exam next year or the year after that," Ibiki finishes his sentence with a laugh.

 _If one of us chooses not to answer the question, we'll fail our teammates as well. But if we choose to answer the question and answer it incorrectly, not only do we fail, but we'll be Genins forever. This is a lose-lose situation for us,_ Reika thinks.

"Then, let's begin… the tenth question. Those who will not be taking it, raise your hands!" Ibiki commands, "Once I confirm your number, I'll ask you to leave!"

 _I won't raise my hands, and I know nii-san and Sakura won't… but Naruto_ , she looks at where Naruto is sitting, and just as she thought, he's trembling in his seat. _The logical choice for him would be to not answer this question and try again next time, but… I don't think he wants to be the reason that we fail._

One by one, examinees start to raise their hands and leave the classroom with their teammates in tow. Reika grits her teeth. _Damn it, the peer pressure's unbelievable_ , Reika looks at Naruto's back. _Naruto… it's your choice. I'll accept whatever you throw at me._

Unexpectedly, it's not Naruto who's moving their hands upwards; it's Sakura. Reika's eyes widen in shock. But before she can raise her hands up high, Naruto beats her to it. Reika heaves a deep breath. She'll take his decision in stride.

But suddenly, Naruto slams his upstretched hand to his table and shouts, "Don't underestimate me! I won't run! I'll take it! But even if I'm stuck being a Genin forever, I will become a Hokage no matter what it takes- _ttebayo_!" He stands up from his seat with a snarl, "I'm not scared!" he then returns to his seat and crosses his arms.

Reika has a small smile on her face. _That guy… is so unpredictable. What an idiot_.

"I'll ask again," Ibiki says, "It's a choice that will alter your life. If you want to quit, now is your chance!"

"I'm not going to take back my words! That is my Nindo!" Naruto says with a challenging smile on his face. Reika looks around her and finds everyone's anxious looks turn into confidence. _What power… he managed to inflict bravery in other people with his words alone…_

"I like your determination!" Ibiki says, "Then… for those who are still here… the first exam… you've passed it!"

Reika's eyes widen in a mixture of shock and confusion.

"W-Wait, what does that mean?" Sakura asks as she stands up from her seat, "Suddenly telling us that we've passed! What is the tenth question?"

Ibiki grins and laughs, and he doesn't really look all that intimidating anymore, "There wasn't such a thing to begin with! Well, you can look at the choice you just had to make as the tenth question!"

"Wait!" the Suna kunoichi says, "Then, what were all those nine questions for?! It was just a waste of time!"

"Not a waste… the objective of the nine questions were already accomplished," Ibiki says, "To test your individual ability to gather information."

 _I knew it…_ Reika thinks with a smirk.

"Ability to gather information?" the Suna kunoichi wonders.

"First… the focus of this test was on the system of determining the pass or failure based on the three or four person groups that was proposed in the first rule. By grading the exam on a group basis, I added the unimaginable pressure of dragging down your teammates."

"I see, I see. I kind of felt that was the point of this test- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says.

 _No, you didn't…_ Reika thinks as she rolls her eyes.

"However, the questions on these tests weren't things that you Genins would've been able to solve. So in that case, I imagined that most of you here would have come to this conclusion: 'In order to score points, I'll have to cheat.' In other words, this exam was created under the premise that you all would cheat. That being said, I had two Chuunin in the group who knew all the answers from whom you could cheat."

Reika notices that one of the Chuunin who raises his hand sits beside the person she cheated off from. _Well, I can't believe my luck_ , Reika thinks.

Naruto laughs as he crosses his arms behind his head, "It was so obvious! There's something wrong with you if you didn't notice! Right, Hinata?"

 _There's something wrong with_ you _, then_ , Reika thinks as she shakes her head.

"However… those who just foolishly cheated, naturally were disqualified," Ibiki unties the bandanna around his head to reveal his grotesquely scarred skull, "That's because information, depending on the time and situation, will be more valuable than life. And in any mission or on a battlefield, you will always have to risk your life to fight for it."

 _Burn marks… nail punctures… scratches… he's definitely gone through a lot of torture for the sake of information…_ Reika thinks with a gulp.

Ibiki puts his bandanna back on, "When information is gathered and the enemy or a third party finds out about it, the information is no longer guaranteed to be correct. Just remember this: to be given the wrong information can bring a catastrophic blow to your friends and village. That is why, out of necessity, we forced you guys to cheat in order to test your ability to collect information. And we filtered out those who were clearly lacking in those abilities."

"But…" the Suna kunoichi says, "The last question doesn't make any sense."

"However… this tenth question was the main issue of this first exam."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asks.

"I'll explain. The tenth question was to take on the question or not. Needless to say, it's a painful decision to make. Those who chose not to take on the question would immediately be failed along with their whole squad. Those who chose to answer the question and got it wrong would be robbed of their chance to take the Exam forever. It really is an unfair question. Then how about these two choices?

"Let's just say that you guys did become a Chuunin. The mission is to steal a secret document. You have no idea how many ninjas the enemy has, their ability, and other armament they may have. On top of that, there may be the pitfall of an enemy trap. Now this mission… will you take it, or not? Because you want your life spared, because your partners will be put in danger… can you get away from dangerous missions? The answer is… no!

"There are going to be missions you cannot avoid no matter how risky or dangerous it may be! Showing your courage to your teammates in a tight spot, and the ability to get through the hardships… these are the qualities that are needed in a Chuunin troop leader! In a pinch, there are those who cannot risk their own fate, and those who waver and give up their chances because they think they will have another chance. I believe that such fools who don't have strong determination have no right to become a Chuunin!

"For those of you who chose to take on the question, you can say that you have successfully answered the difficult tenth question! You shall be able to take on the adversity that may lie in your way. You've passed through the gates! The first test for the Chuunin Exam has been completed," Ibiki smiles at them, "I wish you well."

"Alright! I did it, I did it!" Reika rolls her eyes as Naruto celebrates all on his own. All of a sudden, something goes inside the classroom through the window, and two kunais are stuck to the ceiling, showing them a banner, with a woman with purple hair, mesh shirt and pants, and khaki coat kneeling in front of it.

"W-What's going on?!" Naruto asks.

"You guys! This is no time to be celebrating! I'm the proctor for the second exam, Mitarashi Anko! Let's move onto the next stage!" she raises her right fist with gusto, "Follow me!"

Reika raises an eyebrow. _…a female, older version of Naruto?_

Ibiki peeks from behind the banner, "Read the atmosphere," to which the kunoichi – Anko – blushes.

"81?! Ibiki! You let 26 teams slide by? I guess the first exam this time around was too easy," Anko says with a glare at Ibiki.

"It seems like this time, there are a lot of excellent candidates," Ibiki defends himself.

"Hmph! Well, alright… I'll drop more than half of them in the second exam!" Anko smirks in excitement, "I'm getting excited… I'll give you the details tomorrow. We'll be changing locations, so get information from your Jounin sensei about the location and the time! That's it. You're dismissed!"


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So I received a very good question, and I have a not-so-good explanation to make…**

 **haha21 commented on the last chapter:**

 ** _You wrote 26 teams passed. If so, it'd be 26 times 3 plus 1 (for Reika), which is 79 people._** _ **Also 81 people passing wouldn't make sense. 81 divided by 3 is a perfect 27. I was under the impression that Team Seven was the only 4-man team, so that doesn't make sense.**_

 **The question is, have you ever thought of a possibility that there are 4-membered teams** _ **other**_ **than Team 7? ;)** **So my reasoning is that there are 2 other teams other than Team 7 that has 4 members, so that's why there are 81 people and 26 teams who passed instead of 27 teams of three. Sorry for not explaining things better. Good job for pointing it out, haha21! :D**

 **Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~**

* * *

The next day, with the information they got from Kakashi, Team 7 finds themselves in front of Training Ground #44 amongst other examinees. From what Reika sees from the outside, it looks like a vast, dark forest with big trees and a 'NO TRESSPASSING' sign stuck in front of the tall wire gate surrounding it. Reika has such a bad feeling about this.

"W-What is this place…?" Naruto wonders.

"This is the location for the second exam, Training Ground #44; also known as… The Forest of Death," Anko explains with a sinister smile on her face.

"The Forest… of Death?" Naruto murmurs. Reika has her focus on the forest, ignoring everything that's going on around her. She has always liked being in a forest. Sure, they've got their rivers and tall trees, but as long as Reika stays on ground, she'll be fine. She has never found a forest she doesn't like, but… she has a feeling she won't like this one.

"There's something kind of creepy about this place," Sakura comments.

Anko chuckles, "This place is called the Forest of Death, you'll soon realize why."

Naruto huffs and imitates Anko, "'The Forest of Death, you'll soon realize why'. That kind of threat won't work on me one bit! I'm not scared!"

Anko gives him a bright smile that actually sends shivers down Reika's spine, "Really? You've got a lot of energy," and with that same bright smile on her face, Anko throws a kunai that slices a scar on Naruto's left cheek, stabbing the ground behind him. Anko flickers behind Naruto, "A kid like you dies at the very beginning," Anko takes Naruto's right cheek in her hand and runs a finger on his bloodied cheek, "…dappled with the red blood I like."

Another _sadist. Chuunin Exam sure is full of… interesting people_ , Reika thinks.

Suddenly, Anko pulls out another kunai and turns around, when someone's – ew – tongue holding her kunai appears beside her. Reika grimaces at the sight.

"I'm returning… your kunai," the lady with the long tongue says.

Reika shudders. _This woman is also… not good news._

"Thank you for taking the trouble…" Anko says with a smile on her face, but Reika can tell she's not sincere and she's got her guard up, "But… don't stand behind me, thirsty for blood. If you don't want a quick death…" Anko says as she takes her kunai from the kunoichi's tongue.

The kunoichi retracts her tongue – Reika winces – and says, "Well, it's my nature to act up at the sight of red blood," she smirks dangerously, "And my precious hair was cut, so I got excited…" she turns around and returns to where, presumably, her teammates are, "I'm sorry," she says as she walks away.

Anko smirks, "Evidently, we've got a lot of hot-blooded kids this time," she chuckles excitedly, "This will be fun."

Anko walks towards the very front, "Well, before we start the second exam, I have to pass this out to you!" she turns around holding a stack of paper in her hand, "It's a consent form. Before you can take part in the test, you have to sign this."

"Why?" Naruto asks.

"From here on out, corpses are going to come out. I have to get your consent for that, or it'll be my responsibility!" Anko says, finishing her sentence with a laugh.

Reika sighs. _She's not just a sadist. She's a psycho._

"Well, I'm going to start the explanation for the second exam. In a word, the limits of your survival will be challenged," Anko says as she gives the stack of paper to Naruto, who's standing closest to her, for him to hand out to the other examinees. Anko pulls out a scroll in her hand and unrolls it.

"First, I'll give you step-by-step instruction on the terrain of this Training Ground. Training Ground #44 is surrounded by 44 locked entrance gates, there are rivers and a forest and a tower in the middle. It's about 10 kilometers from the tower to the gates. In this confined area, you will go through a certain survival program. The contents of which are…" She rerolls the map and puts it in her pocket, "…an anything-goes scroll battle!"

She pulls out two scrolls, one blue and the other is white.

"Scroll...?"

"Yes," Anko shows them the white scroll with the kanji of Heaven and the blue one with the kanji of Earth in front of it, "I want you to fight for two scrolls, the Heaven scroll and the Earth scroll. All together 26 teams got through the first test. Half of them, 13 teams, get the Heaven scroll, the other half gets the Earth scroll. I'll hand over one scroll to each team. To put it simply, that's what you're vying for."

"And the conditions to pass?" Sasuke asks.

"All members of one team bring both the Heaven and Earth scrolls to the tower in the center."

"That means that of the 13 teams, half of them will fail for sure…" Sakura says.

"Except it has to be in time. For this second exam, the time limit is 120 hours. Do it in exactly 5 days!" Anko says as she puts the scrolls back in her pocket.

"Five days?"

"What do we do about food?" Reika sighs. _Chouji, is there_ anything _in your head besides food…?_

"Be self-sufficient! It's a treasure trove in the wilderness. There's more than enough for food," Anko says.

"However…" Kabuto starts, "It's teaming with fierce people-eating animals, poison bugs, weeds, and much more."

"No way…" Chouji moans in devastation.

"Idiot, that's why it's called survival!" Ino scolds him.

"Besides, it's improbable that 13 teams will pass," Neji comments.

"The interval for activity gets longer with each passing day, while the time for recovery gets shorter… seems pretty grueling!" Lee says with an excited smile.

"On top of that, you're surrounded by nothing but enemies…" Sasuke says.

"Even falling asleep will be a problem," Reika says, seemingly finishing Sasuke's sentence.

"And, besides those injured during attempts to capture scrolls, there will definitely be people who are unable to endure the rigors of the course," Anko says.

Shikamaru raises his hands, "So… can you quit in the middle of it?"

 _Seriously?_ Reika rolls her eyes. _For someone so smart, you can be such a fool, Shikamaru…_

"According to the rules, you cannot give up in the middle of it!" Anko smiles at him, "I want you to spend 5 days in the forest."

"Just as I thought…" Shikamaru says, "This is going to be a drag…"

"Moving on, conditions of disqualification: number 1, if all members of the team can't make it to the tower with the Heaven and Earth scrolls within the time limit; number 2, if a team loses a member or if a member became incapacitated. There's that, and this is a supplement… absolutely do not look at the contents of the scrolls until you have reached the tower!"

"W-What happens if we look at it halfway through- _ttebayo_?" Naruto inquires.

"When you look at it… you'll find out!" Anko says mysteriously with a smile, "There are times when a Chuunin must deal with super-secret text. This is to test your reliability. That's all the explanation! I'll exchange your team's consent forms for the scrolls in that hut over there," Anko says, pointing at the hut in front of one of the gates, "After that, pick your entrance, and all the gates will open simultaneously!"

Anko heaves a deep sigh, "Finally, just a word of advice…" she looks at the crowd strongly, "Don't die!"

Reika's eyebrow twitches at her words. After everyone has been dismissed, she follows Sasuke wordlessly (ignoring Ino and Sakura's protests) towards a rock a couple of meters away from the hut, which is now covered with a red curtain. _Well, without it, we'll know which team has which scroll, and which member is holding on to it, and that would just be no fun._ She sits beside her brother and reads through the consent form.

 _So this is what Ibiki is talking about, fighting for information with your life…_ everyone's _lives are in danger_ , Reika sighs softly and signs her name in the consent form. She turns to look at Sasuke. _Nii-san's life will also be in danger. I_ have _to protect him_.

"Reika-hime," Sasuke whispers without turning to look at her. Reika jumps slightly. She never expected him to call her with her nickname in public, even if it was with a whisper; that has never happened before. They can never be too careful.

"Y-Yes?"

"…I'll protect you."

Reika's eyes soften. She nods at him, "…I'll protect you too, nii-san."

xXx

"It's about time for the scroll exchange," a shinobi from within the hut says. Everyone starts to get up from their seats and gathers with their own teammates. One by one, each team enter the hut and exchange their consent forms with a scroll, and they all pick their own entrances. Team 7 receives a Heaven scroll, and they pick their gate.

By the time the clock strikes 2, Anko shouts, "Teams who have taken the scroll, stay with the representative and move to the gate! We'll all start simultaneously in 30 minutes!"

Team 7 makes their way to Gate #12 and waits out the 30 minutes. Naruto is pumped, as usual. Reika ignores him as she yawns. Nearing the 30 minutes, the representative unlocks the gates.

"We will now start the second test of the Chuunin Exam!" Anko's voice shout from their starting point. The gates slam open and Team 7 walks through the gates with smirks and smiles on their faces.

"Alright! Let's go!"

Not even 10 minutes inside, they can already hear screams coming from somewhere within the forest. Team 7 stops in their tracks and turn their heads towards the source of the scream.

"Wasn't that someone screaming just now?" Sakura asks, a scared look on her face.

"…seems like it's already started," Reika mumbles. In the sky, a flock of birds fly away from the direction of the scream.

"I-I'm kinda getting nervous…" Sakura says.

"I-It was nothing- _ttebayo_ , Sakura-chan!" Naruto says, feigning courage. He then squirms, then says, "I-I have to pee…" he then runs towards a bush. Reika's hand twitches in annoyance. Before she can hit him, Sakura beat her to it.

"Y-You fool! What are you doing in front of me and Reika?! Go to the grass!"

Reika winces when a huge bump swells from where Sakura hit Naruto in the head. Sasuke, Reika, and Sakura wait as Naruto obliges Sakura's command. Not long after, he comes back.

"Ahh, that was a lot! I'm refreshed!" Naruto says. Reika frowns. _Since when is Naruto a lefty? And where's the scar Anko-san gave him?_

In their team, even though they have two left-handed people, namely Sasuke and Reika, the only one who puts their kunai holster on their left thigh is only Reika. But this 'Naruto' has his kunai holster on his left thigh.

"Like I said, not in front of–!"

Before Sakura can finish her sentence, Sasuke moves behind 'Naruto' and backhands him. 'Naruto' is thrown against a tree.

"S-Sasuke-kun… no matter what, you don't have to go that far!" Sakura says, shock still evident on her face.

"W-What was that for…?" 'Naruto' asks. Reika suddenly appears before him and sends a kick to his face, which he dodges by rolling to the side. Sasuke is waiting for him and kicks him, but he jumps towards a tree branch. The second he lands on the tree branch, Sasuke follows him and kicks him off of the branch. Before 'Naruto' can land, Reika kicks him with all her might and he's thrown against a tree once again. Before he can collect himself, Reika presses a kunai against his throat.

"What are you doing… all of a sudden?!" 'Naruto' protests.

"That's my line," Sasuke says. 'Naruto' pulls out a kunai and deflects Reika's. She flips backwards until there's a considerable distance between them while Sasuke and 'Naruto' engage in a kunai battle. Reika respectfully stays in her spot.

"Sasuke-kun, please stop!" Sakura pleads.

"Sakura, look closely at him," Reika says.

"Huh?"

"Talk! Where's the real Naruto?!" Sasuke asks.

"Eh?!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" 'Naruto' claims.

"What happened to the scratch on your face?" Reika asks with a glare, "The one you got from the proctor earlier?"

"And your kunai holster is on your left leg. The only one who does that in Team 7 is Reika! That guy's right handed!" Sasuke says, "You're worse at transformation than Naruto, you phony!"

'Naruto' transforms into a spiky haired Amegakure ninja with a gas mask on his mouth. Even with it, Reika can tell that he's smirking at them.

"Unlucky! You got me. In that case…" the Ame shinobi says, "Which one of you got the scroll?"

Sakura takes a kunai in her hand.

"If you listen to me obediently, I'll spare your lives," he says. But neither Sasuke, Reika, nor Sakura budge, "I see… then I'll resort to force!" he dashes forward towards them. Sasuke jumps upwards and makes hand seals midair.

Reika pushes Sakura to the side as Sasuke shouts, " _Katon: Housenka no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu)!" he shoots out small fireballs from his mouth to stop the Ame ninja from approaching them. The Ame ninja jumps and Sasuke attacks him midair with his kunai, and the Ame ninja deflects it with his own. The Ame ninja jumps to another tree and runs away, Sasuke on his trail.

"Heeey! Sasuke!" Naruto screams from the ground, where he is tied up. Sasuke clicks his tongue and throws a kunai that slices the ropes tying Naruto's upper body, "Alright!"

"I caught you off guard! Lucky!" the Amegakure ninja throws knives and kunais at Sasuke, and he dodges it below a branch, but one of the kunais is actually an explosive kunai, and Sasuke is thrown back. He lands back on the ground in a crouch, and the Ame ninja appears behind him with a kunai, "This is lucky! I'll kill you if you move! Calmly hand over the scroll!"

Reika and Sakura arrive to where Sasuke is, and their eyes widen when they find Sasuke at the end of the Ame ninja's kunai.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims. Reika narrows her eyes and throws a senbon at the Ame ninja's hand and he loses his grip on his kunai. Sasuke smirks, and another kunai comes from above, and the Ame ninja jumps to avoid it.

Naruto jumps down from the branch, "I won't let you get away!" and starts chasing the Ame ninja.

Sasuke uses his chakra to lift the kunai Naruto threw with the soles of his foot, sends it towards the Ame ninja, and jumps. The Ame ninja avoids it midair, his eyes following the trajectory of the kunai, and his eyes widen when Sasuke slams him with a kunai in is hands. The Amegakure shinobi widens his eyes and looks down at his feet. Sasuke follows his eyes and smirks when he finds three senbons stabbed to his feet.

"Sasuke-kun…!" Sakura calls out from beside Reika, who already has three more senbons in her hand.

"Don't just stand there, Sakura!" Sasuke scolds, "There's no guarantee that this guy's alone!"

"Don't let your guard down, or you'll really get killed," Reika says from beside her. Sakura flinches at her words.

The Ame ninja pulls himself away from Sasuke and escapes. His movements are slower because one of his legs is stabbed with senbons. Sasuke lands and glares at the direction of the Ame ninja.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura calls out as she runs towards Sasuke, Reika following her slowly along with Naruto.

"You okay?" Reika asks. She may not show it, but she's relieved when he nods at her. He blinks out his Sharingan and they sit around in a circle.

"If there's an instance that we become separated, don't trust him if he looks like your teammate," Sasuke says, "Just like now, there's a possibility that an enemy will transform to get close to us."

"Yeah," Naruto says with a nod.

"So what do we do?" Sakura asks.

"…Password," Reika says.

"Password?"

"If the password is incorrect, no matter what he looks like, presume he's the enemy," Reika says.

Sasuke nods at her, then he turns to look at his teammates, "I'll only say it once, so listen closely. You ask, ninja song, 'Ninja Chance'. And the answer is this: 'The chance to sneak up when a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a shinobi to know the right time. The time when an enemy is tired and drops his guard'. That's it."

"Okay!" Sakura says with a smile.

Reika sighs, but nods nonetheless. She stores the password in her head as codes, so she'll remember it easier. While she may love literature, she's not too fond of long sentences as her memory is on the worse side. She remember better with codes or her body. She decides to just stick with Sasuke so she doesn't need to use it.

Naruto frowns, "Could you say it once more?"

"I told you I'd only say it once," Sasuke says exasperatedly.

"Could it be that you couldn't memorize it?" Sakura asks mockingly, "You're such a fool! I got it right away!" Sakura says arrogantly.

"I-I memorized it perfectly- _ttebayo_! I thought just in case, I'd listen one more time…" Naruto defends himself.

"I'll carry the scroll," Sasuke offers as he stands up.

"Hey, wait, Sasuke," Naruto stands up, but then something whizzes past his right cheek and slices it. Suddenly they hear wind coming from somewhere, and Naruto turns to his right, "What is it…?"

A huge gust of wind attacks all of them, and sends Naruto and Reika apart from Sasuke and Sakura.

xXx

Sasuke manages to hide under a bush before the gust of wind can throw him off. He clicks his tongue as he remembers his twin sister getting thrown off balance and carried by the wind. He hears a rustle from his back, and he brandishes his kunai with a snarl.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura says.

"Don't move! First, the password… Ninja song, 'Ninja Chance'!"

"Ah! Um… The chance to sneak up when a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a shinobi to know the right time. The time when an enemy is tired and drops his guard," Sakura recites perfectly.

"Good."

"Hey, everyone, you okay?" Naruto asks as they approach them.

"Naruto, wait!" Sakura stops him, "The password."

"I know," Naruto says with a smile, "The chance to sneak up when a large number of enemies are making a scene. The quiet place has no secret hideout. It is important for a shinobi to know the right time. The time when an enemy is tired and drops his guard."

Sakura sighs in relief, but Sasuke throws a kunai at him, which Naruto evades.

"What are you doing- _ttebayo_?!" Naruto asks incredulously.

"This time it's someone who can dodge my attack, huh?"

"What are you saying, Sasuke-kun?! Naruto just said the password properly!" Sakura says.

"That's the problem!" Sasuke says.

"Eh?"

"Do you really think that guy can remember a password that long?"

"Oh!" Sakura's eyes widen in realization.

"If we asked the normal Naruto what the password is, what do you think he'd say?" Sasuke asks.

"'Sorry. I've forgotten it.'"

"Besides, his movements when he avoided my attack was clearly different from Naruto's. Show your true self already, faker!"

'Naruto' gives them a dark smirk, licks his lips, and says, "I should've transformed into the other girl instead of this boy, huh…? My bad," he goes up in smoke and transforms into the lady who returned Anko's kunai with her tongue earlier in the starting point.

"Actually, if you had transformed into Reika, I would've known as well," Sasuke says with a smirk. _I'd never mistake her for anyone else. Unless you can alter your own chakra signature, I will always be able to recognize the feel of her chakra_ , Sasuke thinks.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Her memory's bad. She'll take her time remembering it, then she'll say it word by word."

The lady smirks, "But if you knew they'd forget it, why didn't you make the password shorter?"

"I knew you were underground eavesdropping on our conversation. So I chose that password on purpose."

The lady takes off her hat and reveals her Kusagakure hitai-ate, "Oh really. So you're not tired or letting your guard down. This will be more fun than I thought," she finishes her sentence with a lick to her lips.

 _This person is too creepy… and where are Naruto and Reika?_ Sakura wonders.


	14. Chapter 14

Reika shakes her head to get herself together and groans at her stupidity. Her head has definitely been hit against a tree, so her head is currently spinning quite violently. Shaking her head doesn't help reduce the pain. She opens her eyes, and looks around. She can't find her teammates. She groans. Now she has to use the troublesome password.

"Huh?" Reika's eyebrows raise when she notices that there's a shadow over her. She widens her eyes when she realizes that there's a giant snake in front of her. She has no time to be dizzy now. She grimaces when the snake moves to attack her, but she's way faster than it is and jumps over it to a tree branch. She takes a kunai out. She needs to defeat this snake somehow.

As the snake attacks her again, she moves to another tree branch, and takes a good look at the snake while avoiding to look at the ground below her. She jumps to another tree to avoid the snake's attack, but then the snake uses its tail to throw Reika away midair, and she lands abnormally on her right foot. Reika hisses when she rubs her ankle. _Yup, it's sprained._

Reika bites her lower lip and takes two explosive kunais from her pouch. It may be overkill, but overkill is underrated at the moment. She tries not to move her right leg too much and throws one of the kunais to one of the snake's eyes. It hit right in the middle of its eye and the snake squealed in pain. Reika winces as she leans against a tree. She decides to take her chances to flicker to the other side of the snake and throws her other kunai to the snake's other eye. When her kunai hits the snake's eye, she makes a hand seal and the kunais explode.

Reika curses under her breath when the snake doesn't die. She takes some wired explosive kunais from her waist pouch. While the snake is whimpering in pain on the ground, she throws her wired kunai to a tree across from her, and she sticks the wire to the tree she's leaning on with an explosive tag. She does that with five different kunais and creates a rough trip wire, and she flickers across it.

Reika throws a smoke bomb to the ground in front of the trip wire, having no clue how else to catch the snake's attention, but is pleasantly surprised when it works. The snake wildly moves right into the trip wire and Reika flips backwards when it explodes. She groans loudly when she, stupidly, lands on her right foot. She looks at where the snake was, and sees that the snake has disappeared with a poof in a cloud of smoke. Reika sighs in temporary relief. She needs to find her teammates, fast.

 _But first I need to treat this ankle,_ Reika thinks as she looks at her right foot. It swells pretty badly, and it looks kind of gruesome. She uses _Shousen Jutsu_ on it until she can at least move it. Reika then closes her eyes and concentrates on Sasuke's chakra. She relies on the feel of his chakra and flickers towards him.

When she arrives, she falls on her knees. Apparently she was thrown quite a distance away from where Sasuke is, so her _Shunshin no Jutsu_ uses up a lot of chakra to move her from her previous position. When she looks around, she finds Sakura and Sasuke on the ground. Both of them have their eyes wide open, unfocused, and Sakura is crying.

"Sakura?! Sasuke-kun?!"

"So… you've defeated that snake. In my defense, it's not the brightest one I have, but well done, nonetheless."

Reika turns to look at the kunoichi who gave Anko her kunai back at the starting point. From her hitai-ate, now she knows she's from Kusagakure. _I knew she was bad news_ , Reika thinks with a scowl, taking a kunai out as she glares at her, unknowingly putting chakra in her eyes.

"You put them in some kind of genjutsu, didn't you…?" Reika grumbles as she gets to her feet.

"Very keen observation… as expected from an Uchiha."

Reika flinches as her eyes widen, "How do you…?"

"Well, your eyes can't really lie…" the Kusa kunoichi says. Reika frowns at her, but widens her eyes when she realizes that everything seems clearer. She can even see the color of the Kusa kunoichi chakra; dark purple laced with black. _My… Sharingan?_ "The old man Hokage may have told you to hide your identity from the likes of me… but what he doesn't know is that I am much smarter than that. The power that comes from your doujutsu…" she licks her lips, "It's exquisite; I want it for myself."

Reika narrows her eyes at her. From her words, she knows now that she's not just there for their scroll, but also the Sharingan. Perhaps more for the latter. She dashes forward and throws her senbons, but her eyes widen when the Kusa kunoichi deflects them with her bare hands. She grits her teeth and throws her kunai, but she catches it.

Reika jumps towards a tree and reaches for a soldier pill from her pouch. Her eyes widen when she can't find but 3 pills inside it. _Must've been spilled at some point when I battled that snake…_ she bites down her lip and chews on one. She makes a dog, ox, rabbit, and tiger seals and jumps in the air as she shouts, " _Katon: Housenka no Jutsu_!"

She tries attacking the kunoichi, but she keeps avoiding her attack. She throws her senbons while she lands, but they get deflected again. Reika makes more seals and shouts, " _Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" She expels a huge fireball from her mouth and it seems to hit the kunoichi. She runs back towards where Sasuke and Sakura are, but yelps when she falls down, a snake pulling on her right ankle.

"Foolish child… don't you know you shouldn't show your back to your opponents?"

Reika grabs on to the ground to stop being dragged by the snake. She screams in pain when she feels the snake tightening itself around her ankle. _It's twisted_ again _, damn it! I gotta get it off of me before it breaks my ankle!_ Another snake wraps itself around her left and they drag her towards a tree. Before they can reach the tree, Reika throws a kunai to each of the snakes, and they disappear in smokes. Reika pushes her body off the ground and looks up to see Sasuke trying to stand while the Kusa kunoichi approaches him.

"Don't worry," the Kusa ninja says as she pulls out two kunais, "I'll end this in a second. You won't even have the time to feel pain."

Reika grits her teeth as she takes her senbons out and throws them at the Kusa ninja's left elbow, the only thing she can aim from where she is that may be able to stop him from throwing the kunais. But before they can reach their target, the kunais are already thrown.

"Sasuke-kun!" Reika calls him, but he doesn't seem to be listening. His eyes are focused on the Kusa kunoichi's. Reika's breath gets caught in her throat when she sees Sasuke stabbing his own thigh with the kunai in his hand. He jumps over to Sakura and jumps towards higher ground, but not before meeting his sister's eyes. She nods at him and flickers to where he is.

They're sitting on a branch of a giant tree, wide enough for the three of them to sit comfortably. Reika frowns at her brother and spits out, "You idiot," and takes another soldier pill. She knows she's not supposed to eat more than one within the same hour, but she doesn't care. Not like it would make a difference. After the massacre, she's been consuming soldier pills whenever she feels chakra deprived after every training session. Her body slowly grows resistant towards the effects of the pills and she doesn't gain as much chakra as she's supposed to when a ninja takes soldier pills. In fact, Reika suspects that she gains chakra _slower_ than she used to.

Sasuke doesn't say anything as he pants from the exertion and the pain from his wound. Reika rolls her eyes and readies her _Shousen Jutsu_. She places her glowing green hands on top of Sasuke's bleeding thigh.

"Pull it out slowly," Reika says. Sasuke grits his teeth and pulls out the kunai with a groan, and Reika continues to heal him.

"Reika… your eyes," Sasuke says, "Let me see them," Reika looks up at Sasuke. He puts a hand on her cheek and widens his eyes slightly when two red eyes with two tomoes surrounding a black pupil looks back at his own. _Two tomoes already? How…? When did she develop them?_ Regardless, Sasuke gives her a small, soft smile, "…good job," he whispers. She smiles back at him as his hand falls to his side.

"Sasuke-kun…" they turn when Sakura mumbles. She gasps when she sees Reika healing Sasuke's bleeding thigh, and Reika's eyes, "Reika, you…!" _Sharingan?! She has them too?!_ Sakura thinks. Sasuke pushes a hand to Sakura's mouth when she talks a little bit too loud. Her focus turns from Reika's eyes to Sasuke.

Reika squeezes her eyes shut and wills for her Sharingan to disappear. She reopens them, now back to their original obsidian, and turns back to focusing on healing Sasuke's wounds. But she stops before she can fully heal him, because she needs some spare chakra to heal her own ankle. She moves her still glowing hand to her right ankle.

"She's the real Reika. I've tested her," Sasuke says as he notices the look of suspicion in Sakura's eyes. Of course he's lying, but he can't really tell Sakura that he recognizes her chakra signature better than anyone else's. Reika groans when she realizes that she miscalculates the amount of chakra she spared. It's not enough to heal her ankle at all. As usual, the soldier pills gives her less chakra than she thought it would.

Sasuke is trembling in his seat, looking around him as though he's looking for an escape. Reika doesn't blame him. The Kusa kunoichi is definitely _not_ a Genin, and she'd kill them if she finds them. _Not to mention… she knew Sandaime Hokage told us to hide my identity. She's definitely after the Sharingan_.

Reika and Sakura gasp when they see a giant snake towering over them. Sakura tries to push Sasuke's hand off her mouth, "Sasuke-kun, snake!" Reika says. Sasuke and Reika jump to their left, while Sakura to their right, avoiding the snake's bite.

The snake wraps itself around a tree and opens its mouth menacingly at Sasuke and Reika midair, and for some reason, when his Sharingan sees the snake, Sasuke sees the eyes of the Kusa kunoichi. He screams, "Don't get near me!" and throws a barrage of shuriken at it. The snake whimpers and its head falls on a tree branch.

Sasuke and Reika land on another tree branch, and Reika groans in pain when her right ankle throbs against the force of the land, "Reika-hime!" Sasuke calls out. They don't even register the fact that he called her by her nickname.

"I'm fine… you?" Reika asks rhetorically. She _knows_ Sasuke is _not_ fine. They look back at the snake and their eyes widen when the part of the snake near its head starts to crack, and the Kusa kunoichi appears from it.

"Don't lower your guard, not even for a moment… a prey must always stay tense and try to flee desperately… before a predator," the Kusa kunoichi says as she looks straight into Reika's eyes and moves to Sasuke's, who stands in front of her protectively. She has her tongue hanging out of her mouth like a snake. Reika shudders at the murderous look in her eyes.

The Kusa kunoichi jumps out of the snake, her body lengthening like a snake and she wraps herself around a tree in an inhuman speed towards them. Sasuke screams in fear. But before she can get to them, a kunai and four shurikens stop her in her tracks. Reika gasps and turns to look at the source of the weapons, and almost sags in relief.

"Sorry, Sasuke…" Naruto says from a distance, his arms crossed in front of his chest, "The password… I forgot it!"

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaims, "That's alright!"

The Kusa kunoichi glares at Naruto.

"Naruto! I know you tried to be cool and intended to rescue us, but… don't stick your nose in this! Run! This thing… she's on a far different level!" Sasuke shouts, fear clear in his voice. Reika frowns at him. _What's wrong with him…? He's been jumpy and his chakra is unstable…_

"Seems like you brought that giant snake down brilliantly… Naruto-kun," the Kusa kunoichi says as she looks up at him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Evidently you've been bullying the weakling!" Naruto shouts, "Now that I, Uzumaki Naruto-sama is here, I'm going to wipe the floor with you!"

Reika sees Sasuke flinching. She knows that he's racking his brain for a way out. _But… this isn't like him at all… what did he see in that genjutsu?_ "Wait!" Sasuke suddenly says. The Kusa kunoichi turns to look at him. Reika's eyes widen as Sasuke pulls out their Heaven scroll from his pouch, "If it's the scroll you want, I'll give it to you! I'm asking you. Just take this and go!"

 _He's… desperate_ , Reika thinks. She frowns. _But I really don't think that's not what she really wants…_

"Hey, Sasuke! What are you doing?!" Naruto asks, "Why are you giving our scroll to the enemy- _ttebayo_?!"

"You shut up!"

"What…?!"

"I see… you're sensible," the Kusa kunoichi says as she pushes herself up on her hand, "The only thing the 'prey' can hope from the 'predator' is presenting other food and pray you would be spared, isn't it?"

Sasuke throws their Heaven scroll at her, "Take it."

But before the Kusa kunoichi can catch the scroll, Naruto dashes to catch it. He uses the momentum when he lands on a tree to jump in front of Sasuke.

"Teme! Don't interfere with this! Don't you understand the situation?!" Sasuke asks him with a glare. Naruto turns around and sends him a hard punch to the face. Reika's eyes widen as Sasuke is thrown back, but he lands on another branch, "What are you doing all of a sudden?!"

Naruto pants as he looks down to the ground. He looks up at Sasuke with a glare and says, "As for me, I don't remember the password… so I got no way to make sure. But you, you're an impostor Sasuke, aren't you?!"

"Naruto! What are you trying to start?!" Sakura asks.

"You loser; I'm the real me!" Sasuke insists.

"…Liar," Naruto says, "This… this stupid coward is… absolutely… not the Sasuke I know!" Naruto says, "I don't know how strong she is, but how can you be so sure that she'll let us go if we hand over the scroll, huh?!"

Reika bites down her lower lip. Naruto has a point. She also wants to tell Sasuke that the Kusa kunoichi is not just after their scroll, but also their kekkei genkai. But there's no guarantee that the Kusa kunoichi won't tell Naruto and Sakura that she's actually an Uchiha. Sakura had seen her Sharingan earlier; she can't risk it.

"You're the one who choked and doesn't understand the situation- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says.

The Kusa nin chuckles as she stands up, "Naruto-kun…" she looks at Naruto and licks her lips, "That's correct."

Sasuke, Sakura, and Reika flinch at her words.

"The scroll," the Kusa kunoichi lifts up her left sleeve, showing them her tattoo, "I could just kill you and seize it," she then bites her thumb.

Reika's eyes widen. _It's a summoning tattoo!_ "Naruto, get out of here!" she screams. But she's too late, as the Kusa kunoichi wipes the tattoo with her blood on her thumb. Instead of leaving the premises, Naruto runs towards her.

"Don't mess with me!"

"Run, Naruto! Stop it!" Sasuke shouts at him. Naruto jumps at the Kusa kunoichi, but…

" _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_ (Summoning Jutsu)!" the Kusa kunoichi has made the necessary hand seals and a gust of wind picks up from her direction.

Reika groans and tries to lift herself from her sitting position to move to where Sasuke is, only to have the branch she stands on break from the force of the wind. Reika's eyes widen when she feels her body giving itself up to gravity. She's suddenly thinking about the distance between the cliff and the Naka River below it, and how far Shisui had to fall before he met his end. She can't even scream; she's too horrified by the thought of dying by the same cause that killed her precious person. Before she can really fall, someone catches her.

"Reika-hime! Get ahold of yourself!" she hears Sasuke in her ears, but she hasn't registered it yet, "Reika-hime!"

She jumps when she feels a small pressure on her forehead. She remembers faintly of her childhood. While Itachi liked to poke Sasuke on his forehead, both he and Sasuke liked to kiss hers. It's been a while since he did it; the last time she remembers was when they were children, shortly after the massacre. Slowly, she regains her focus and sees Sasuke, his eyes still filled with panic and terror, but a forced smile on his face.

"Nii-san…" Reika whispers as she pants.

"You're okay," Sasuke says to her, even though it sounds like he's not just trying to convince her, but also himself, " _We're_ okay."

Reika nods as she straightens up with a small apology to her brother. She sees Naruto fighting yet another giant snake.

"Cute…" the Kusa kunoichi says to Naruto, "You're a cute prey…"

The snake uses its tail to slice the branch Naruto sits on, and he falls down.

"Naruto!" Sasuke, Reika, and Sakura calls out to him, but he continues to fall until his back hits a tree, and he coughs out blood. His body then falls straight towards the snake's mouth.

"Damn it!" Naruto says as he flips and kicks the snake's face, actually shaking it. He has the feral look on his face, and Reika squints to look at his features better. Her eyes widen as she sees the whiskers around his cheeks have become more prominent, and his eyes are red; the same ones she saw in the Land of Waves. He continues to punch the snake on its face.

Suddenly the Kusa kunoichi opens her left hand and blows air into it, throwing fire at Naruto's direction. Naruto's body falls against multiple branches again, until he hits a stronger one.

"That's… Naruto?!" Sasuke asks under his breath.

The Kusa kunoichi smirks, "Next is…" she turns to look at the Uchiha twins, "Either one of you, Sasuke-kun. Reika-chan," the snake turns to face the twins, "Now what's your move?!" the snakes move towards them, but neither of them moves. Sasuke, out of fear, and Reika, because she can't with the state of her ankle.

"Sasuke-kun! Reika!" Sakura shouts.

Suddenly Naruto is in front of them, stabbing two kunais from each of his hands to the snake's face, stopping it centimeters away from where Sasuke and Reika are.

 _He… stopped it?!_ Reika thinks as her eyes widen.

Naruto pants, "Yo… are you hurt?" he lifts his head and his red eyes meet Sasuke's onyx, "Scaredy cat-kun?" It's the same thing Sasuke asked him when they fought the Demon Brothers on the way to the Land of Waves, "This stupid coward is absolutely not the Sasuke I know!" he says with a glare. Suddenly the Kusa kunoichi's tongue wraps around Naruto's body and lifts him up, "Damn it! Let me go! You stupid snake!"

He's pulled until he's facing the Kusa kunoichi. She makes a hand seal and pushes her palm against Naruto's exposed abdomen. Naruto's eyes widen as he groans in pain.

"Sasuke-kun! Help Naruto!" Sakura pleads.

Reika flinches as she sees Naruto going limp in the Kusa kunoichi's tongue. She reaches into Naruto's pouch and takes their Heaven scroll. Reika throws a kunai at her and it whizzes past her cheek, scarring it. The Kusa kunoichi throws Naruto's limp body aside.

"Naruto!" Sakura throws her kunai and it stabs Naruto's clothes against a tree before he could fall. She turns back to look at Sasuke and shouts, "What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?!"

Reika looks up at her brother standing beside her with confused eyes. _Nii-san… what did she do to you…?_

"Naruto's certainly different from you, Sasuke-kun. He's a klutz and kind of gets in the way. But he's not in the least a coward!" Sakura says.

Sasuke squeezes his eyes shut, as he thinks of the last words of that man, " _Foolish little brother. If you want to kill me, resent me, hate me, and continue to live your ugly life… flee. Flee and hang on to your life_." He reopens his eyes and his Sharingan activates. _No!_ He thinks as he glares at the Kusa kunoichi. She laughs, and her summon snake disappears in a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke takes out a kunai and bites it between his teeth. _I have to live so I can kill aniki… that's what I thought. But it's me who was being stupid. Naruto! Sakura! Reika-hime! How can someone who can't put his life on the line at a place like this beat that man?!_ Sasuke thinks as he dashes towards the Kusa kunoichi. He jumps and throws his kunai at the kunoichi, which she dodges nimbly.

He uses the momentum as he lands on a tree to jump towards her, and engages her in taijutsu. While she is quite fast, he can still see her movements with his Sharingan. But all of a sudden, the kunoichi picks up her speed and moves quickly around Sasuke. Even Reika has to reactivate her Sharingan to follow her movements. Sasuke makes a tiger seal and blows out fire from his mouth towards her twice. Suddenly the kunoichi is moving from underneath the branch, and strikes at Sasuke as she arrives in front of him, but he flips backwards to dodge her.

Reika stands up from where she is and jumps towards Sakura with a groan. She ignores her worried questions and jumps until she can get closer to Sasuke, ignoring the pain from her ankle. The Kusa kunoichi sends a gust of wind towards Sasuke, which he dodges. The force of the wind breaks a tree branch. Sasuke jumps towards a branch and pushes himself towards the kunoichi, taking her down with him. Reika clicks her tongue when she can no longer see him.

She closes her eyes and concentrates as she follows Sasuke's chakra. She looks down to where she knows he is and sees that he's manipulating shurikens with some wires. He manipulates the wires so that it wraps around the kunoichi and ties her against a tree. Sasuke then makes snake, dragon, rabbit, and tiger seals and breathes fire along the wires. Reika makes her way down to where he is as the kunoichi screams in pain, Sakura in tow.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura calls out as they get closer to him, "You did it!" Sasuke doesn't react as he pants in exhaustion, "Are you okay?"

"…you should rest," Reika says, "You've used your Sharingan for a long time."

"Hang on…" Sakura says. Reika flinches as she hears the tell-tale sound of wire being cut forcefully. She turns to see the Kusa kunoichi, still very much alive, walking towards them. She stops as she makes a hand seal and Reika finds herself falling on her behind, unable to move.

"I didn't expect that you could use Sharingan this much at your age…" her voice starts to distort, as if it's mixed with a man's voice, "You are truly a member of the Uchiha clan," she says, her voice now completely different from before, and is definitely a man's, "I do want you, after all. Along with her."

Reika wills herself, with all her might, to at least kneel.

"You truly are siblings. Both of your eyes, especially hers, hide more ability than Itachi."

Reika's eyes widen at the name. _This guy… knows Itachi-nii-sama?!_

"Who in the world are you?!" Sasuke asks.

The Kusa kunoichi, now turned into someone they don't recognize, has their Heaven scroll in her hand, "My name is Orochimaru… if you think you want to meet me again, desperately run to the top of this test," he says as the scroll catches on fire, "Defeat the three Oto ninja under my control."

"You're not making any sense at all! _We_ don't want to see your face ever again, got it?!"

Orochimaru chuckles, "That won't do," he then makes a hand seal and his neck starts to grow in length and it moves quickly towards Sasuke. Reika's eyes widen as he bites onto Sasuke's neck.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura and Reika call out as Sasuke groans. Her eyes widen as Sasuke puts a hand over the nape of his neck and groans in pain.

"You, what did you do to Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura asks. Orochimaru's neck returns to his own body.

"Just a little parting gift… Sasuke will absolutely come look for me looking for power," Sasuke falls on his knees, groaning in pain. Orochimaru turns to look straight into Reika's eyes, "And now… for the girl."

Reika tries to move to avoid Orochimaru's lengthening neck, but even moving to go on her knees takes a lot out of her, and her right ankle is not helping. She sees her brother on his knees next to her, holding the nape of his neck. Her eyes dart back and forth from Orochimaru's approaching head to Sasuke, wondering what she should do. Before she comes to a decision, Sasuke suddenly moves, faster than she thought he could in his state, and stabs a kunai to Orochimaru's neck, pushing him off course.

"You are _not_ … touching… my sister…" Sasuke growls lowly before he curls up and screams in agony while clutching his neck.

"Sasuke-kun!" Reika screams as she drops herself beside Sasuke. She sees a bruise shaped like three tomoes circling each other on the nape of her brother's neck. Orochimaru pulls away from them and returns to his body, nonchalantly pulling the kunai out of his neck.

"…I actually wanted the girl more because of the power of her Sharingan… but you would do just fine… Uchiha Sasuke-kun. I'll just have to get you later, Reika-chan," Orochimaru says before he makes himself scarce. Reika's eyes widen at the realization that it could be her in immense pain instead of Sasuke. Reika squeezes her eyes shut in pain as she hears Sasuke's groan of pain.

"…this is… my fault… I'm so sorry…" she whispers at Sasuke, "I should've been the one suffering, I'm so sorry…"

"Hold on, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura says from opposite Reika. The Uchiha twins don't seem to recognize her presence. Sasuke slowly lifts himself up, holding Reika's hand as he continues to groan and shout in pain, while Reika continues to whisper apology to his ear, her eyes squeezed shut. Reika's eyes open abruptly when Sasuke falls towards her, unconscious.

Reika vaguely hears Sakura calling out to Naruto, but she doesn't register her voice. She's only focused on her brother, and her brother only.

 _It's my fault… it's all my fault. Nii-san… I'm sorry…_


	15. Chapter 15

At some point, Reika returns to reality and moves with Sakura towards the makeshift cave under a tall tree that can hide them well enough for the night, dragging Naruto and Sasuke with them. Sasuke's temperature starts to spike, and Reika can slowly feel that his chakra signature is slowly changing. Sakura places a hand over his hitai-ate.

"His breathing is gradually getting regular…" Sakura says, "But he still has a terrible fever."

Reika frowns. His fever isn't breaking at all, and she kicks herself for losing most of her soldier pills when she was battling that snake. _If I still have some chakra…_ But she isn't sure how she could heal him, so that thought is probably useless. Reika looks at her brother in immense worry and leans down as she pets his head.

"I'm sorry… it's my fault… I should've been the one hurting, not you…" Reika whispers.

Sakura looks at Reika across from her in shock and wonder. She knows that her teammate is a little bit emotionally detached, since Sakura hardly sees her emoting whenever she's in the presence of another person. But this Reika looks very worried; she even has tears in her eyes. Sakura also vividly remembers when Sasuke was in a near-death state in Land of Waves, how worried Reika seemed, how her eyes had shone with tears, how she smiled so softly when he woke, how she passed out after she used up all her chakra to heal him, and what she had said with such passion as she healed him: " _I am…_ not _letting him die. Not on my watch…!_ "

"Reika…" Sakura suddenly says. Reika jumps. She seems to have forgotten that she's not alone, "You… really love Sasuke-kun, don't you?"

Sakura's heart threatens to jump out of her chest as she waits for Reika to respond.

"…I do," Reika ultimately says. Technically, she's not lying, but she knows that Sakura means something else other than platonic love. She doesn't bother correcting herself, though, even when Sakura's face falls, "He's… all I got left," and Reika leaves it at that.

Sakura flinches at Reika's admission. Her face falls as she looks down. _I… never knew she was a serious competitor. There's no way I can win against Reika… she's… the only girl Sasuke-kun can tolerate_ , "…I see. It's just that… I never see you fawn over him like other girls. Your hair isn't long like other girls too, even though everyone knows he likes girls with long hair."

Reika sighs. Are they really having this conversation now? This is hardly the appropriate time and place for a girl talk, "Because I know he doesn't like it," she ultimately says. Reika looks away to look outside their hiding place, "Get some sleep, Sakura. I'll keep watch."

"…okay," Sakura says in a small voice.

xXx

The sun starts to shine on Sakura's face, and when she lifts herself up and wakes, she sees Reika, putting a wet towel on top of Sasuke's forehead, now free of his hitai-ate. She also sees Naruto's wounds on his face are already healed.

"Awake already?" Reika asks. Sakura turns to look at her. Her sunken, obsidian eyes looks at her green eyes, and Sakura nods at her, "I'm sorry to ask you this, but… do you mind setting up some traps? I'd do it myself, but my foot…" she says as she takes her last soldier pill.

"Sure," Sakura says. She doesn't really want to witness Reika's display of affection for Sasuke anyway. After she gets back from setting up traps, she sees Reika healing Naruto's wounds, but he still doesn't wake up, "Reika… go ahead and get some sleep. I'll keep watch this time."

Reika nods at her, "Yeah, thanks," she says as she drags herself towards the wall of the makeshift cave, and closes her eyes.

To be quite honest, Sakura couldn't sleep very well the other night. Not only is she worried about her teammates, Reika's admission about her feelings for Sasuke also rings in her ears like it's taunting her. Suddenly she hears rustling of the bushes from her back. She frightfully takes her kunai and turns around, and sighs in relief when she realizes that it's only a squirrel. She tenses up again when the squirrel runs towards her, and she throws a kunai to stop it in its tracks.

Sakura continues to keep watch while fighting sleepiness.

"A no-sleep lookout?" Sakura jumps as she turns to look at her back, and finds three Oto ninjas, "But it's not necessary anymore. Wake Sasuke-kun and Reika up, we'd like to fight them," says the hunchback one.

Sakura glares at them as she stands up. She slowly reaches into her kunai holster, "What are you saying? What is it you're after? I know the one called Orochimaru is calling the shots from the shadows!" the three Oto ninjas look shocked at her words, "What's that strange bruise on the back of Sasuke-kun's neck? You did this to Sasuke-kun; how can you say you want to fight him?!"

"I wonder… what he has on his mind?" the hunchback one wonders.

"However, I can't stay quiet after hearing that. I'll kill this girl and this Sasuke character. Then I'll move on to that Reika girl," the spiky haired one says as he stands up.

xXx

Reika doesn't dream this time. She actually prefers to have a nightmare more than a dreamless sleep. Every time she sleeps a dreamless sleep, something bad always happens to someone around her. The night before the first and second exams, she slept through the night, and now Sasuke is suffering. She has such a bad feeling about the whole exam.

Eventually, Reika forces herself to wake up, and before her, she sees Lee on the ground, and Sakura is held back by her hair by a familiar Oto kunoichi, with her other teammates in front of her.

"Your hair's shinier than mine," the Oto kunoichi says, "Hey, if you have time to worry about your hair, you should practice!" she says as she shakes Sakura's head by her hair, "Getting all spiced up like a woman… Zaku, why don't you kill that Sasuke guy right in front of this sexy bug?"

"Yeah, that sounds great!" the spiky haired one, Zaku, says.

Reika throws her senbons at each of the Oto ninjas, and they all turn to look at her.

"You're not touching my teammates, idiots," Reika says as she straightens up.

"Oh, so the sleeping beauty awakes. How nice is it to sleep while your teammate is in trouble?" Zaku asks her.

"Shut your trap; you're loud," Reika says. She sees Sakura move a little bit, and the Oto kunoichi drags her back, "Sakura, free yourself!" she yells, "You're better than this!"

Reika suddenly flinches when she feels a foreign chakra signature invading her brother's familiar one. She turns to look at him with wide eyes. She drags herself towards him, and faces Zaku, who's walking towards them, her back to her brother and Naruto. She has a kunai in her hand. She can't leave them.

She sees Sakura taking a kunai in her hand as well.

"That's pointless. It won't work on me," says the Oto kunoichi.

Sakura smirks at her, "It's not for you," and she cuts her long hair free from the kunoichi's grasp. Reika's eyes widen in shock, but ultimately she smirks at her.

Zaku's eyes widen as he says, "Kin, kill her!"

Reika sees Sakura making hand seals for _Kawarimi no Jutsu_ and Kin slams her body to her, and she's replaced by a log. Reika then throws her kunai at Kin, who narrowly dodges it and the hair above her hairband is sliced off. Sakura continues to battle Zaku until she has him pinned on the ground, his arm in between her teeth. Reika throws senbons at Zaku's free hand, which keeps on hitting Sakura to let him go. Even with Reika's senbons in his hand, Zaku doesn't stop hitting Sakura's head, and Sakura doesn't let her bite go.

Sakura finally lets him go. Zaku is ready to attack her. Reika already makes a tiger seal. She sighs, "Yo, smart guy!" Zaku turns to look at her, "Don't forget that I'm still here. _Katon: Housenka no Jutsu_!" Reika blows a fireball towards him, which he dodges, and Reika keeps chasing him around, trying to avoid hitting Sakura in the process.

Zaku curses under his breath until Reika uses up most of her chakra. Reika berates her low chakra reserve, not for the first time in her life. Zaku lifts his hand up towards where Sakura and Reika are, and all of a sudden, Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji show up out of nowhere, Shikamaru dragging Chouji by his scarf.

"Heh. More strange ones," Zaku says.

"Ino…" Sakura says.

"Shikamaru… Chouji…" Reika whispers as her eyes widen.

"Sakura! I promised I wouldn't lose to you, didn't I?" Ino says without looking at Sakura.

Reika sighs in temporary relief. She turns to look at Naruto and Sasuke, her uneasiness growing as Sasuke's chakra signature continues to gradually change. She tries her best to heal her ankle with the rest of her chakra, but it's no good. She lost too much with her _Housenka no Jutsu_ earlier.

"Ino… why?" Sakura asks.

"I can't let you upstage me in front of Sasuke-kun!" Ino says.

"What are the two of you thinking?! They're bad news!" Chouji asks fearfully.

"It's a pain, but it can't be helped!" Shikamaru says, "Ino steps out and we men should run?"

Ino chuckles, "Sorry to get you involved," but she doesn't sound apologetic at all, "But anyway, we're a three-man squad after all. We're all in this together, aren't we?"

Shikamaru smirks at Zaku, "Well, we'll see."

"No! I don't want to die yet!" Chouji squirms as he tries to run away, "Let go of my scarf!"

"You're annoying! Quit wiggling!" Shikamaru scolds him.

Zaku chuckles, "It's okay for you to drop out… fatso."

Reika's eyes widen at his words. _Uh-oh… Chouji is really sensitive of the f-word…_ Even from where she's sitting, she can see Chouji's ear twitching.

"What did that guy just say?" Chouji asks, "I… didn't quite catch it."

"Huh?"

"Try saying it again…" Chouji challenges Zaku.

"I said if you have a problem, pull out, fatso!"

 _Oh well… I guess it's for the best_ , Reika thinks with a sigh.

Chouji turns around with a glare, "I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned! Damn it!" he turns to his teammates, "Alright, you understand this, right?! This is a battle between Konoha and Oto!" Reika swears he has fire in his eyes.

"Geez, this looks like it's going to be a pain in the ass…" Shikamaru says.

"That's my line," Zaku says.

Sakura turns to look at where Sasuke is, "Reika… is he okay?" Sakura asks.

Reika looks at Sakura, then peeks at her back to look at Sasuke, and shakes her head, "I'm not sure… something's wrong with him."

"Sakura… Reika…" Ino calls out. Sakura and Reika turn to look at her, "Those two unconscious ones… take care of them."

Reika and Sakura smirk at her, "Okay."

"Well then, Team Ino, let's go full throttle!" Ino says. The boys nod in affirmative, "Formation Ino-"

"-Shika-"

"-Chou!"

Reika's eyes widen. She finally will bear witness to the legendary Ino-Shika-Chou formation she read in a Konoha history book once.

"I'm counting on you, Chouji!" Ino says as Chouji steps forward.

"Okay! _Baika no Jutsu_ (Multi-Size Jutsu)!" Chouji shouts and his body grows in size until he looks like a big ball, "Next, _Konoha-Ryuu Taijutsu: Nikudan Sensha_ (Konoha-style Taijutsu: Human Bullet Tank)!" Chouji's arms, legs, and head slip into his clothes, and he starts to roll in incredible speed towards Zaku, who tries to stop him with his sound wave. Suddenly Chouji jumps.

From the corner of her eye, the hunchback Oto shinobi runs towards Zaku. Reika hits his feet with her senbons, and smirks when she sees Shikamaru making a rat seal.

" _Ninpo: Kagemane no Jutsu_ (Ninja Art: Shadow Possession Jutsu)!" Shikamaru shouts as his shadow moves towards the now immobile Oto shinobi. Shikamaru smirks when the Oto shinobi stands up and tries to move, but couldn't.

Chouji lands on top of Zaku, but he avoids Chouji by the skin of his teeth. The Oto shinobi caught in Shikamaru's jutsu starts to mirror Shikamaru's movements.

"Dosu?!" Kin calls out when she sees him acting strange, "What are you doing at a time like this?!" she gasps when she sees Shikamaru doing the same thing as Dosu.

"Tch. _Kageshibari no Jutsu_ (Shadow Bind Jutsu)?" Dosu asks.

"Ino, next it's just the ladies."

"Okay! Shikamaru, look after my body!" Ino says.

"Gotcha."

Ino makes a hand seal Reika is not familiar with, and aims it at Kin, " _Ninpo: Shintenshin no Jutsu_ (Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Jutsu)!" Ino then goes limp, and Shikamaru catches her while Chouji continues to attack Zaku, who is having a hard time avoiding him.

"Kin!" Zaku calls out. Kin doesn't answer.

"What happened?!" Dosu asks.

Kin looks up and holds a kunai against her own throat, "This is the end of it," Zaku and Dosu's eyes widen, "You guys! If you make one move, this Kin girl is dead meat! If you don't want this to end right here, leave your scroll and walk away! Once you've gone far enough that I can't feel your chakras, I'll release this girl!"

Dosu and Zaku smirk at her.

"Chouji!" Kin-slash-Ino calls out.

"Yeah!" Chouji moves towards Ino.

"This is bad! They won't…!" Sakura says with her eyes wide.

 _They're willing to sacrifice their own teammate?_ Reika wonders with her eyes wide. Zaku then aims his hand at Kin's body and attacks her. But before his attack could get to her, Chouji pushes her out of the way, throwing her against a tree.

"Ino!" Shikamaru exclaims. Reika turns to look at Ino's body and sees that she's bleeding from her mouth.

Chouji stops spinning and he looks quite queasy, "Ugh… I'm dizzy…"

"W-What kind of person… hurts their own comrades?" Kin-slash-Ino asks.

Zaku scoffs, "Careless."

"Our goal is not the scrolls or to pass this test playing by the rules," Dosu says.

"What?"

"It's Sasuke and Reika."

Reika's eyes widen as she looks at her brother's unconscious form. She grits her teeth and holds her kunai tighter while glaring at Dosu. _I…_ have _to protect nii-san!_ Suddenly Shikamaru's shadow returns to his body. _He must've reached his limit_ , Reika thinks.

"Oh? So your much precious _Kageshibari no Jutsu_ is limited to 5 minutes?" Dosu asks.

"It's not _Kageshibari_ ; it's _Kagemane no Jutsu_ ," Shikamaru corrects him.

"In addition, it seems that this girl's jutsu seems to be a jutsu to take over the other's body," Dosu says, "From the looks of the blood she's spitting up, if I kill Kin, that girl will die too…"

Shikamaru clicks his tongue at him, "Are you going to do in your teammate?"

Zaku aims his hand at Kin once again, "If I need to…"

Shikamaru sighs, "This is no good."

"Damn it…" Chouji curses.

"That's too bad… you're just a step away," Zaku says.

"You're too easy-going," Dosu comments.

"Hmph. I don't like this at all. You minor Oto ninjas bullying the second-rate guys and putting on airs like a winner."

Reika turns to look at the source of the voice. It's Hyuuga Neji and Tenten.

"They're Lee-san's teammates…" Sakura says.

"Lee!" Tenten exclaims when she sees him.

"Heh! Coming out of nowhere like cockroaches…"

"That kid with the bob lying over there is on our team, but…" Neji glares at them as the veins around his eyes become more prominent, "You messed with him, didn't you?!"

Reika's eyes widen when she sees his eyes. _Is that… the Byakugan?_ Reika wonders.

"If you're going to continue, I'll fight with full strength!" Neji threatens. All of a sudden his eyes widen.

"What's wrong, Neji?" Tenten asks.

"Heh. If you don't like me, don't play cool, come down here," Dosu taunts.

"No. Evidently, there's no need for that," Neji says with a small smile on his face.

Reika frowns at Neji's words. But then she feels an ominous chakra from behind her and she turns around. Reika's eyes widen in fear when she feels a foreign chakra in the place of her brother's familiar one.

"Sasuke… nii-san…?" Reika whispers tentatively, careful to not let anyone else hear her. She gasps as Sasuke stands up. She falls on her behind, ignoring the pain that sears from her right ankle as she looks up at the person in front of her with her brother's face, but not his chakra.

"Sasuke-kun! You're awake…" Sakura turns with a smile, but then her smile is wiped away when she sees Sasuke's state, "Huh…?"

Reika's eyes widen when she sees some black spot covering the left side of Sasuke's body, his Sharingan activated. She flinches when he steps forward, running a hand through Reika's hair.

"Reika-hime… don't worry. I'll protect you," he says in a deep voice as he pulls his hand away from her. Reika inhales sharply. This person… is _not_ her brother. He turns to look at Sakura, "Sakura… who did this to you? Who is it?"

"Sasuke-kun… that body…"

"Don't worry. Strength is rapidly flowing in… right now I feel good. That guy gave this to me. At last I understand… I'm an Avenger… on my road, I must put power into my hands, even if it means abandoning myself to the devil."

Reika's eyes widen at his words. Her eyes start to water as she loses the familiar feeling of Sasuke's chakra. She doesn't know what happened in between, as she keeps her back to her brother, but she can hear Zaku's scream alongside a tell-tale sound of bones breaking, and she can practically _hear_ the menacing smile on Sasuke's face. She squeezes her eyes shut and reopens them to reveal her Sharingan. In a bout of desperation, she turns around and screams out, giving no care about who hears, as long as Sasuke listens.

"SASUKE-NII-SAN!"

She can tell that everyone in the vicinity – Sakura, Team Guy, Team 10, and the Oto ninjas – are shocked at the revelation, but she doesn't care. As long as this… monster stops taking over and she gets her brother back, she doesn't care who knows. Sasuke stops in his tracks as Reika slowly, painfully, lifts herself up to stand, tears streaming down her face.

"Sasuke-nii-san … stop…" Reika says as she limps her way towards her twin. Her right ankle still hurts quite a lot, but she doesn't care. She just wants to feel her brother in her arms, which she does when she gets close enough, "Please…" Reika whispers as she leans her forehead to his back.

And then she feels it. The familiar chakra is back. The marks on his body is receding, and Sasuke goes limp, Reika falling with him in her arms. Then she feels Sasuke trying to turn around. She loosens her hold on him and she feels his fingers on her chin, tipping her head slightly. Reika closes her eyes when she feels the familiar pressure of Sasuke's lips on her forehead.

"Reika-hime… I'm sorry…" Sasuke says as he wipes the tears from his sister's face, "I'm sorry…"

Reika heaves a big sigh of relief as she relaxes in her brother's arms, who continues to pant in exertion. She can feel her Sharingan deactivating.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims as she puts a hand on Sasuke's back.

"You're strong," Dosu says. They turn to look at him, and he offers his Earth scroll to them, "Sasuke-kun… we can't defeat you the way you are now," he puts the scroll on the ground, "This is our fee for settling this. Please let us withdraw from here."

Their eyes widen at his offering. Dosu says as he takes Zaku, "It seems selfish, but we now have something we need to confirm too," he lifts Kin in his free arm, "That being said, let's make a promise. If there's another opportunity to battle with you in this test, we won't run or hide," Dosu then leaves with his teammates in his arms.

"Wait!" Sakura calls out. Dosu stops and turns around, "Who in the world is Orochimaru?! What did he do to Sasuke-kun?! Why Sasuke-kun, and why Reika?!"

"…I don't know," Dosu ultimately says, "We were just given orders to make a hit on Sasuke-kun and Reika," he then leaves wordlessly.

"Hey, are you guys okay?!" Chouji asks from behind the bushes.

"It's a pain, but Ino, I'll leave Lee to you," Shikamaru says.

"Got it!" Ino says as she makes her way to Lee, as Shikamaru and Chouji approach Team 7.

"Well… you were right when you said that the girl has something to hide," Tenten says to Neji from the tree, "I just didn't expect her to be that Sasuke kid's sister."

"…neither did I," Neji says.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** **Sorry for the long A/N. It's because I got my very first flame; _ever_! Which is actually quite interesting for me, haha.**

 **To the flame-thrower: I'm sorry that my 'retarded self-insert OC' stole Sakura's moments. Take this the wrong way if you want, but I wrote this initially to entertain myself. I have absolutely _no intention_ of changing things the way people like it, because the first part of this _fan-fiction_ is _done_. I've actually lost interest in it for now, and haven't gotten around to continue writing it. So please, by all means, get mad at me for writing things the way I like it, because I thought that's what writing fan-fiction with an OC is all about. Sorry if I misunderstood. Do correct me if I'm wrong. Or write something of your own if you hate what I write.**

 **And do you type loving words to your parents with those fingers? Shame on you. You do _not_ use the R-word on anyone, _ever_. And telling someone to 'kill yourself' in anon because something doesn't go your way is a dick move. Don't any you _ever_ do that because no one deserves getting told by some stranger to kill themselves. You don't know how someone's day has gone, so always be nice to people. Not only the ones you know well, but also to strangers. According to a person I respect the most, if you have nothing nice to say, just don't say anything at all.**

 **Now that I got that lecture out of the way, it's time for the next chapter! I'm sorry, but this chapter is shorter than usual. Perhaps the A/N is even longer than the story haha. Frankly, this chapter and next week's chapters are not exactly my favorite, because it's mostly fillers before the preliminary exam.**

 **Nevertheless, thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~**

* * *

Sasuke pulls away from Reika and looks at his left hand with wide eyes as he starts to shake, "What… am I?" he wonders under his breath, but Reika can still hear him.

Reika frowns at him and takes the shaking hand in her own. She doesn't really know what to say, other than, "You… are my twin brother; Uchiha Sasuke," Sakura's eyes widen at her words. Reika takes his face in her hand and forces him to look straight into her eyes, to hell with his dislike over her eyes, "And no matter what you do or what you are, I will always protect you."

She tightens her grip on Sasuke's hand until it stops shaking. Eventually Sasuke squeezes her hand in return with a slow nod, "Sakura, Reika-hime…" Sakura and Reika turn to look at Sasuke, "Promise me something; don't say anything about this bruise to Naruto."

"Eh?"

"Listen… this is also teamwork. It won't do to have him unnecessarily worried," Sasuke says.

"…fine," Reika says.

"Sakura-chan!" suddenly they hear Naruto coming towards them. Apparently he has regained consciousness, by Chouji's hit on his head. Reika doesn't pull her hand away from Sasuke's as she turns to look at Naruto, "Y-Y-Your…! Sakura-chan, your hair!"

"Oh, this…?" Sakura asks as she touches her now short hair. She doesn't look at Naruto's eyes when she says, "I'm changing my image. I like it better long, but when I move around in a forest like this, it gets in the way if it's long. Right, Reika?" Sakura turns to look at her.

Reika's eyes widen, but ultimately she nods, "It suits you," Reika says sincerely. Chouji and Shikamaru approach them.

"By the way… why are you guys here?" Naruto asks.

Shikamaru sighs, "It's such a pain to explain it to you."

"Everybody helped out," Sakura says.

"Really…?" Naruto wonders. He then catches sight of Sasuke and Reika's hands, and he gasps, "Rei-chan… Sasuke… you guys…?" then he looks at Sakura's face and frowns when he sees no sign of distress in her face, "Sakura-chan, are you okay with this…?"

"With what?" Sakura asks, then she looks down at Reika and Sasuke's hands. She smiles softly. Now she understands Reika's words about her loving Sasuke very much, "Of course I am."

"Eh?!"

"She's my younger sister, dobe," Sasuke says exasperatedly.

"EEH?!"

"He's older than me by 7 minutes," Reika explains. This time, Sakura, Chouji and Shikamaru's eyes also widen.

"You guys really are twins? Man, what a drag…"

Reika frowns, "What do you mean, _really are_ twins?"

"I've known for a while that you guys are siblings, but I didn't think you guys are twins. I mean, he doesn't mind talking to you, you're not infatuated with him like the rest of the girls, you guys look somewhat alike, and you guys think that you're sneaky, but I know you guys live together. I've seen him go to your apartment building."

"Hn," Sasuke says.

Reika smirks at Shikamaru, "As expected from Shikamaru. Nothing gets past you, doesn't it?"

"Tch, troublesome woman…" Shikamaru says.

Naruto looks around and suddenly smiles as he sees Lee, "Aha! Bushy Brows!" he exclaims as he approaches Lee.

"Naruto! Don't say rude things to Lee-san!" Sakura says as he punches Naruto until he's thrown away. Reika winces. Sakura turns to look at Lee and says, "Lee-san… thank you. Because of you, I was able to wake up. I feel like I've gotten a little stronger!"

Reika also slowly stands up and bows at Lee, "Thank you for protecting me and my teammates."

Lee looks like he's about to cry, "Sakura-san… Reika-san…" he wipes away his tears, "It looks like my efforts weren't enough," he looks up at Lee, "Sasuke-kun… just what you'd expect from the Uchiha clan. To chase off the Oto ninjas, just as I thought, you possess amazing strength. I was beaten to a pulp," Lee says as he looks down. But suddenly he looks at Reika, "But Reika-san, I'm getting more excited about our race now that I know you're also from the Uchiha clan!"

"Ah… yeah…" Reika says, not sure what she's supposed to say to that. She never agreed to that race.

"Sakura-san! Konoha's Lotus blooms twice. When we meet again, I will have become a stronger man. I pledge it," Lee says as he looks straight into Sakura's eyes. Sakura smiles at him and nods.

"Hey, Sakura! Come here, let me fix your hair for you!" Ino offers.

"That'd be great," Sakura says as she walks towards Ino.

Reika, with Shikamaru's help and Sasuke towering over them like a mother hen, moves until she can lean on a tree. She takes a deep breath and her hands glow green. She tries to heal her right ankle until she's running out of chakra, and pants when she's done.

"Why did you guys go to such troublesome lengths to hide her identity?" Shikamaru asks. Reika turns to look at Sasuke, who nods at her.

Reika shrugs, "Hokage-sama told us not to."

"Why?"

"According to him, a lot of people want their hands on our kekkei genkai. Being the last ones of our clan, he thought it was a good idea to keep at least Reika-hime in the dark," Sasuke says.

"Why don't you hide your identity, then?" Shikamaru asks Sasuke.

"Because a lot of people know he's an Uchiha. As for me, I don't show my face in public a lot, so not a lot of people know that the Uchiha clan head had a daughter. To the citizen of Konoha, I died along with my clan," Reika closes her eyes in exhaustion.

"Reika-hime, are you okay?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah… just… I think I'm running out of chakra. I need to rest for a while, if you guys don't mind."

Sasuke sits beside her and takes her head and leans it against his shoulder, "Sleep."

And so Reika sleeps.

xXx

Even after two days of healing time, Reika can feel that her chakra has not completely recovered yet, but at least she managed to gather up enough chakra to fully heal her right ankle. Team 7 moves to another camping site, Reika moving with Sasuke's help, and while Sasuke and Naruto fish, Reika and Sakura go find firewood. After they've gathered enough, Reika contemplated lighting the fire up on her own, but she's not sure if she has enough chakra to do so.

"Sasuke-nii-san!" Reika calls out, "Mind lighting up the campfire?"

Sasuke returns from the river, and lights up the campfire.

"…you okay?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. I just need to rest some more," Reika says, "I can pretty much walk on my own now."

"…Hn."

Naruto comes back with the fishes, and Reika and Sakura stabs them with a piece of wood, and sticks it on the ground in front of the campfire.

"It's already been 4 days since the second exam started," Sasuke starts, "The start of the second exam was around 3 PM. We only have 25-26 hours left."

"There may already be some teams that have passed," Sakura comments, "That means…"

Naruto seem to not be paying attention as he keeps his eyes on the fishes. After Reika deems the fishes fully cooked, Naruto immediately snatches the biggest one. Reika waits for Sakura and Sasuke to pick their own, and Reika eats the last one slowly.

"For all we know… there may not be any Heaven scrolls left," Sakura says.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Sasuke asks.

"Well, in this second exam, four of the five-day time limit have passed already. So that means we've already used 80% of the total exam time. 81 participants and 26 teams. There are only 13 each of the Heaven and Earth scrolls. At most, there are only 13 passing teams. Moreover, you remember, don't you, Sasuke-kun? That Orochimaru guy burned the Heaven scroll that we had."

"That means…"

"The teams that will pass had already decreased by one at that point. Also, all the other scrolls are not necessarily safe, so…"

"After parting ways with the Konoha bunch, we allotted two days for healing. So from here on, we have to increase the distance of our actions. At any rate, the next enemy is our last chance," Sasuke says as he stands up, "I'm going to get some more water."

Reika stands up from her seat as well, "I'll come with you."

Reika follows him until they get to the river. Reika stops until they reach a tree closest to the river and waits until Sasuke is done refilling his water. From where she's standing, she can clearly see a bruise shaped like three tomoes circling each other on the nape of her twin's neck, and she looks down on the ground guiltily.

 _It's… my fault he got bitten. It should've been me…_ Reika thinks.

"Reika-hime?"

Reika looks up abruptly when Sasuke calls her, "…All done?"

"…stop blaming yourself. It was either you, me, or both of us, and I'm glad it was me and not you."

"Don't say that."

"I would never wish that kind of pain to my worst enemy, Reika-hime, let alone my own sister."

Reika looks down again and says, "Thank you…"

"Huh?"

"You stopped Orochimaru from biting me. Even when you're so out of it, you managed to protect me, so thank you. But… I couldn't do anything to protect _you_. You have no idea how helpless I felt, seeing you suffering so much but knowing that I can't do anything to stop it. We're supposed to protect each other, nii-san; isn't that what it means to be born at the same time?"

Sasuke knows that Reika is referring to the words their mother said to them.

" _Sasuke, if you always have Reika's back, she'll always have yours. That's why you were born together: so that you can protect each other._ "

"I'm sure you did your best to protect me. We can't always win against our enemies, and we may get hurt along the line, but…" Sasuke puts a hand on Reika's head and ruffles her hair, "If you really feel bad, then just continue doing your best to protect me. That'll be enough."

"…okay," Reika says, even though she's not convinced yet. They walk back to their campsite together, and find Kabuto. They run as fast as they could, Sasuke throwing his bamboo canister aside and leaving it on the ground.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Another new chapter of Secrets! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank time-twilight and Mary Hinatinha for their encouragement regarding the flame last week. You guys are awesome 3**

 **The next part is finally the beginning of the preliminary exam. But please don't get your hopes up; I suck at writing fight scenes, and it would definitely seem like I'm favoring Reika. Because she's my baby.**

 **Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

"Geez, you're beyond saving…" Sasuke comments after they find out that Naruto and Sakura were about to open the Earth scroll.

"That was close," Kabuto says.

"W-We're sorry…" Sakura says.

"Those who ignored the rules are forced into the situation of having to retire. In the previous exam, hypnotism jutsu formula was set up to get into the eyes of those who looked at the scroll along the way. A measure to get them to lie in the forest until the end of the exam," Kabuto explains.

"By the way…" Reika says, "Kabuto-san, right? What are you doing hanging around here alone?"

"It's not that I'm after your scroll," Kabuto says.

"I didn't think so," Reika says, "If that was your intention, you could've taken it from Naruto just now."

"So you're also after the Heaven scroll?" Sasuke asks.

"No," Kabuto then pulls out a Heaven and Earth scroll from his pouch, "I already have them both. See?" he puts them back in his pouch, "Things led to things. I was hurrying over to the vicinity of the tower to wait for my estranged companions. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Sasuke glares at his back and shouts, "Wait!"

Kabuto stops in his tracks and turns to look at Sasuke.

"Fight me."

Reika's eyes widen at the sudden proposal. _Nii-san?_

"Fight you, you say?" Kabuto asks.

"What are you saying all of a sudden- _ttebayo_?!"

"Are you serious?"

"Sorry, but we don't have any more time," Sasuke says.

"Hey, Sasuke! Kabuto-san saved us!" Naruto says.

"Sasuke-kun, I don't know about that myself," Sakura says.

"Me neither," Reika says with a frown.

"Shut up!" Reika's eyes widen at Sasuke's tone, "It can't be helped. I said it before, too. This is all that can be done to survive through this forest now."

"Hmm… that's a lie," Kabuto says.

"A lie?"

"Your heart isn't totally in this as much as you're saying," Kabuto smirks at Sasuke's glare, "If you could really become serious about this exam, why is it necessary to fight me? You should jump on me at my unguarded moment, without going to the trouble of announcing it," Kabuto pushes his glasses up his nose, "That's a ninja."

Sasuke's eyebrows raise. Naruto has a thoughtful look on his face, "Hmm, that's profound."

"I don't dislike that side of you," Kabuto's words gain him confused looks from Team 7, "So I shall tell you the way you should go. However…" Kabuto turns as he starts to walk away, "Let's talk as we move. The smell of broiled fish in the fire smoke had reached a great distance. At this rate, we'll be marked by fierce animals… and enemies," Kabuto ends his sentence with a glare at the bushes behind Sasuke. Reika follows his gaze and narrows her eyes when she sees the slightest bit of movement.

Kabuto smirks and tells Team 7 to get ready to leave.

xXx

Team 7 follows Kabuto as he jumps from one tree branch to another. It's not Reika's favorite way to travel, but as long as she stays close to the ground, she'll be fine. She's not going as fast as she usually could as she's still rather weak, but she's keeping up with them

"Are there really still enemies around?" Sasuke asks.

"Yes, there's no mistake about it," Kabuto sounds confident, "If you think about it a little, you'll understand. Do you know the cleverest way of fighting in battles in expansive forests such as this?"

"No…" Sakura answers.

"Get closer to the goal," Reika answers, "As we get closer to the end of the exam, the tower is the ideal place for all the examinees to gather scrolls."

"Oh, I see. Ambush, right?" Sakura says with a smile on her face, "In other words, we go after the scrolls of the teams that have both the Heaven and Earth scrolls and are setting out for the tower."

"That's one-third of the answer," Kabuto says.

"Eh?"

"We're definitely not the only ones thinking that," Reika says, "That's why there might be traps laid out near the tower already."

"I see! That means there are lots of enemies lying in wait to engage us!" Naruto says. He then smirks excitedly, "Heh, having a handicap gets me pumped- _ttebayo_! I'm looking forward to it! If we just beat them all and get the Heaven scroll, we'll all survive the second exam!"

"No, that's still two-thirds of the answer," Kabuto says.

"What's the remaining one-third of the answer?" Sakura asks.

"The collectors who are certain to appear during an exam of this nature," Kabuto answers.

"Collectors?"

"Those who gather extra scrolls as compensation for sparing them when coming across an unexpected enemy. Also those who get information to proceed favorably through later exams by providing the lacking scrolls to comrades from the same village. And those who are thinking of, under conditions favorable to them, annihilating the powerful ones who will probably get through to the third exam. It goes without saying, but these guys are quite the big guns and the worst enemies who are definitely not conceited," Kabuto explains.

"I see. I understand the reason why you came to us. You're scared too, huh?" Sasuke asks with a smug smirk on his face.

"That's right," Kabuto easily admits. They continue their journey until night falls. Finally the tower is in sight, and they stop, "From here on is the hard part."

"Alright, let's go!" Naruto excitedly exclaims. Reika narrows her eyes when she senses something moving from behind them. She's not the only one to notice it. In fact, she thinks Naruto is the only one who doesn't.

"An enemy already?" Sakura says as she turns around.

Suddenly Naruto throws a kunai to his back, "There!"

 _Okay, maybe I was wrong when I thought Naruto didn't notice…_ Reika berates herself for underestimating her teammate. When they all turn around, Reika's eyes widen when they realize that Naruto's kunai has stabbed a giant centipede.

"Oh, it's just a centipede," Naruto says.

"Yikes, it's huge!" Sakura says with wide eyes, "All those legs are gross."

"There's a lot of weird things living here…" Reika says as she looks around, "If we lower our guard, there's no guarantee that we won't get eaten," Sakura shudders at Reika's words.

Kabuto turns to look at Naruto, and says bluntly, "Naruto-kun. I'd like to avoid inadvertent sounds and careless actions from here on," Naruto looks confused at his words, but he continues sternly, "Rushing ahead through a dense forest making noise like an elephant is the same as announcing in a loud voice that we're coming. We'd definitely receive an enthusiastic welcome."

Naruto looks scared as he says, "O-Oh, I see."

"As long as time allows, we should go slowly while remaining hidden."

"Yeah," Naruto says.

"Okay," Sakura says.

"Sure," Sasuke says. Reika only nods. Moving without making a noise is an essential part of her afterimage trick. This should be easy.

She and Sakura are moving slowly and as quietly as possible through high grasses, Sasuke opts for the underwater way (which Reika shudders at), and Kabuto and Naruto uses the trees, with Kabuto navigating them. They meet where they can clearly see the tower and continue their way silently. At one point, they find a rope hanging off a branch, and Kabuto gestures at the top of the branch with his head. They all look up and see dead bodies hanging off of it.

"Is it a trap?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. It'll get intense ahead from here on," Kabuto says.

As they make their way forward, all of a sudden Naruto trips on a wire, which triggers a barrage of kunais towards him. Kabuto throws himself on top of Naruto and receives multiple kunais to his back.

"Kabuto-nii-chan!" Naruto exclaims. Kabuto's body is then replaced by a log. Naruto's eyes widen, "H-Huh?"

"That was close, Naruto-kun," Kabuto says from atop a branch near them.

" _Kawarimi no Jutsu_!"

"I told you it would get intense ahead from here on."

xXx

After a long walk, everyone is exhausted. Reika keeps wondering why they haven't reached the tower yet, even after they've walked for what seems like hours. Reika has long since opting for leaning against a tree to keep herself steady, because she can feel her energy dropping.

"I've… had it…" Sakura says as she falls to the ground panting. Reika then slides down to the ground against a tree she leans on. Sasuke silently walks towards her and stands beside her. She doesn't need him to say anything; his presence near her is comforting enough for her.

"Sakura-chan! Rei-chan!"

"For crying out loud, how far have we walked? The tower hasn't gotten a bit closer," Sakura complains.

"Here, we can see it right in front of our eyes. It's strange…" Naruto says.

Reika frowns. _They're right. We've walked for a long time yet we haven't even gotten any closer to the tower…_

"It seems that we're already within the enthusiastic welcome," Kabuto says. He then points upwards and says, "Look at that."

Reika sighs when they see the same centipede Naruto stabbed earlier. _We've been in a genjutsu for that long? How pathetic of us._

"What on earth is going on- _ttebayo_?" Naruto asks with wide eyes.

"No way!" Sakura exclaims.

"Is it genjutsu…?" Sasuke wonders.

"It seems so," Kabuto says, "We were lured in perfectly. It appears we were meticulously careful, and we were made to walk around the same place in a circle."

Reika pants as fatigue is catching up to her, "We're being watched…" she says weakly.

"Probably…" Kabuto says, "They intend to wear down our physical strength and catch us unprepared when we're dead tired."

"If so, then this follows the enemy strategy," Sasuke says.

"Then… they'll be coming soon," Kabuto says.

Reika forces herself to stand, fully leaning her body against the tree as she controls her breathing. She can't afford to be dead weight to her teammates. She narrows her eyes when she sees a shinobi appearing from within a bark of a tree she's leaning on. From their mouthpiece, Reika thinks they're from Amegakure. She moves forward to be with her teammates and Kabuto, and looks around her as they're surrounded by the same shinobi.

"Hn. They've appeared," Sasuke says with a smirk.

Naruto follows suit, "This is the perfect handicap- _ttebayo_!"

"W-What is this?" Sakura asks as she looks around.

"It's quite a number," Kabuto says, "Moreover, they're clones?"

One of the clones chuckles, "Cornered rats."

Reika takes a kunai in her hand as Naruto dashes forward, "Shut up- _ttebayo_!" he shouts as punches the clone in front of him.

"That's good, Naruto!" Sakura cheers. But suddenly Naruto's fist goes through the shinobi's body as if it's made of water. Reika's eyes widen when another body comes out of the hole Naruto made on the body of the shinobi, holding a double-edged kunai.

"W-What's going on here- _ttebayo_ …?" Naruto wonders.

The new body aims his kunai at Naruto.

"Naruto!" Sasuke warns as he throws shurikens at the arm holding the kunai. Reika can see that he has his Sharingan active. The arm disintegrates like water. The two bodied shinobi turns to look at Sasuke, and the original body throws a double-edged kunai at Sasuke.

"Sasuke!"

When Sasuke doesn't move from his spot, Kabuto throws himself at Sasuke, both of them falling to the ground as the kunai grazes Kabuto's arm. Reika frowns. _But wait… he shouldn't have been hurt if it was a clone…_

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims. Kabuto lifts himself up and walks away, and Reika squats beside Sasuke, who's still lying on the ground, eyes wide in shock.

"What's wrong?" Reika asks. She frowns when he doesn't respond. She flinches when she feels a slight change on Sasuke's chakra.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asks as she helps Sasuke to a sitting position.

Reika peeks at the back of Sasuke's neck and widens her eyes when she sees the bruise reacting. _It was fine just now… what changed…?_

Naruto gets ready to attack one of the clones, and Sasuke shouts, "It's no use! Stop!" Naruto hesitates, but ultimately heeds Sasuke's warning, "These things are illusions. It's an enemy genjutsu."

"B-But Kabuto-san's wound is real!" Sakura says.

"No, it's as Sasuke-kun says. Probably the enemy is hiding somewhere and coordinating their attack with movements of the genjutsu shinobis and attacking from a different location, making it as though the genjutsu shinobis are attacking," Kabuto explains.

Reika grits her teeth in annoyance as the clones keep on begging for their scroll, "Can we just do something now? They're getting annoying."

"Then I'll find the idiot who's behind the scenes and kick his ass- _ttebayo_!"

"Wait, Naruto-kun. We've been deceived as to the source of the kunai, so we can't discover the precise location of the enemy like this. Do you get it? That's the enemy's purpose," Kabuto says, "From a data standpoint, it's a type who is weak at close combat and taijutsu that likes this kind of attack. The real enemy won't come out until we can't move at all. In any case, all there is to do now is to fend off the enemy attack."

"Fine, if that's what their plan is…" Naruto says. The genjutsu shinobis start throwing kunais at them. Reika tries to deflect them with her own while protecting Sasuke. She pulls Sasuke to stand and they regroup. This happens for a while, until all of them are panting with exertion.

"Man, this is endless!" Sakura complains.

Naruto makes a hand seal, "Since it's come to this…!"

"Stop! Naruto-kun, don't waste your chakra!" Kabuto warns, "Even if you attack these things, there's no point!"

Reika frowns in thought, "No, actually, do it, Naruto."

"What?" Kabuto looks at her in shock.

"Why not? It would be quite time-efficient."

"Right! If I attack them at the same time, when they're reverting back, they won't be able to attack us! We can also discover their hiding place!" Naruto says with a smirk.

Reika looks at Naruto and smirks, "Do it. You're the only one who can do this, Naruto"

"Okay! _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_!"

They're surrounded by multiple Narutos, who start to attack the genjutsu shinobis at the same time. Even when there's one trying to revert back, Naruto's shadow clone attacks it immediately. Reika, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kabuto are just watching from the sides.

"Sasuke-kun, Reika… what should we do?" Sakura asks.

"…attack." Reika says simply as she dashes forward. In a flash, she's already attacking one of the genjutsu shinobis with her kunai, and moves on to the next one, and the next one.

"Tch. Geez, that loser. All there is to do is go for it!" Sasuke says.

"B-But…"

"Indeed… it's not a situation he can get through by himself," Kabuto says.

"Let's go, Sakura!" Sasuke says as he moves.

"Y-Yeah!"

They keep attacking the genjutsu shinobis, and before they knew it, the sky is brighter. Reika falls to her knees in exhaustion as she watches her teammates fall one by one out of fatigue. Even Naruto has fallen. Suddenly the genjutsu is lifted and in front of them stand three Amegakure shinobis, one of them is the one who impersonated Naruto at the start of the exam.

"You're… the one who… did my left shoulder," one of the shinobis say to Sasuke, "And one of you did my right leg… I finally found you guys," he holds a kunai in his hand, "You really hung me up. Lucky. I can finally even the score."

Team 7 and Kabuto grit their teeth at them, but then Naruto smirks.

"Cornered rats."

"It went well, Naruto!"

"Good plan."

Team 7 and Kabuto stands behind the three Amegakure shinobis, smirking at them.

"W-What the heck are these guys?!"

"This can't be! Since when…?"

"Idiot!" Naruto says from beside his 'teammates', "You finally showed your true colors, punk!" Naruto makes a hand seal and the Reika, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kabuto in front of the Ame ninjas turn into Naruto's shadow clones.

"T-This brat, don't tell me…"

"The _Kagebunshin_ is just the preparation for the trick- _ttebayo_ …" Naruto says as he stands up, "…for me to portray every member of the team by myself!" Naruto's shadow clones puffs away.

"When Naruto lifted the _Kagebunshin_ , the four of us hid. The genjutsu users were adversely deceived," Sasuke says.

Suddenly Naruto drops to his knee.

"Naruto! You've used up too much chakra. Leave it to me," Sasuke says. But of course Naruto doesn't listen and dashes forward to punch the Ame shinobi on his right, causing a domino effect as his body falls on his teammates until the three of them are lying on the ground. Reika's eyes widen in shock. _He still has that kind of power in him… impressive._

"No way. I'm not always gonna have the good parts taken away- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says as he continues to pant.

 _He really needs some rest soon_ , Reika thinks. _It must be really exhausting to create so many shadow clones and transform four of them into us. But he can still punch someone down._

"T-That's some brat… I can't believe he can still move."

"Naruto…" Sakura says with wide eyes.

The Amegakure shinobis line up and the one in the middle, the one who transformed into Naruto at the start of the exam, makes a hand seal, followed by his two companions, "Not bad. But we're still not unlucky," he looks up at the sky, "There's no time. This time around, we'll show you our ninjutsu! _Ninpo: Oborobunshin no Jutsu_ (Ninja Art: Fog Clone Jutsu)!" and the three Amegakure shinobis multiply.

"Shadow clones?" Naruto wonders.

"No, they're plain clones," Sasuke says, "But he's up to something. Be careful!"

Naruto smirks, "Heh. If they're just clones, then there's one real body. I'll kick their butts right and left until I run into him."

"Idiot! Such a tactless thing…"

"I'm telling you, don't stick your nose in!" Naruto shouts, cutting Sasuke off. He dashes towards the sea of clones.

"Naruto! That's reckless!" Sakura exclaims.

"Geez…" Kabuto sighs as he jumps to stop Naruto.

All of a sudden, Sasuke grunts in pain, and Reika is the only one who hears it. She looks at her brother questioningly. Sasuke makes a hand seal, but then he screams in pain as he holds the nape of his neck, falling on his knees. Reika is immediately on her knees beside him, and she slowly pulls Sasuke's hand away from the bruise. She bites her lower lip when she sees it shining, and she can feel the foreign chakra creeping up on Sasuke's.

"Nii-san," Reika whispers, "Deactivate your Sharingan."

"What?"

"Trust me," Reika says as she tries to meet Sasuke's eyes. Damn his hatred for her eyes to hell, this is serious, and he needs to see just how serious it is.

"Stop, Naruto!" Sasuke suddenly shouts, seemingly ignoring Reika, "No matter how much you swing at them, the real body isn't among those clones!"

"Then where's the enemy attacking us from- _ttebayo_?! If they're merely clones, they can't attack!"

"If I knew that, we wouldn't be having a rough time! This is the enemy's scheme," Sasuke says. Suddenly one of the clones start to jump at Naruto, a kunai in his hands.

Reika's eyes widen when she sees the three Ame shinobis emerge from the ground, one of them manages to attack Kabuto. The three of them surround him, but all of a sudden they step back as though they're afraid of him. When they're distracted by Kabuto, Naruto kicks one of them on the head, again, creating a domino effect. The three Ame shinobis fall and the clones disappear.

Kabuto sighs, "Thank you, Naruto-kun. You saved me."

"We're okay here, Naruto!" Sakura says as Naruto falls on his behind and chuckles.

Reika stays beside Sasuke as Naruto looks for the Ame shinobis' scroll and she pinches Sasuke's arm. He hisses and glares at his sister, who glares back at him, "Deactivate them. _Now_ ," Reika hisses menacingly. He sighed in exasperation, but ultimately complies, "And stop using them for the time being. I think that bruise is reacting to your chakra," Reika whispers.

"Yeah… I know," Sasuke says with a nod.

"What happened there? Are you hurt?" Kabuto suddenly says from behind Sasuke, "That's a terrible bruise."

Reika flinches slightly as Sasuke uses the high collar of his shirt to cover it. He turns and glares at Kabuto, "It's nothing."

"It's here, it's here! Look, it's the Heaven scroll- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says as he triumphantly raises a Heaven scroll.

"Good for you," Kabuto says.

Reika eyes Kabuto suspiciously. _There's just something wrong about him… he's hiding something…_

xXx

Naruto, who's closer to Reika in height, helps Reika walk while Sakura helps Sasuke as they enter the tower. The second they arrive at the tower, Kabuto reunites with his teammates and they part ways. They soon arrive at a huge room, with a writing on the wall.

"There's nobody here," Naruto says.

"Naruto, I'm fine now," Reika says as she pulls away from Naruto. She sees Sasuke doing the same from Sakura, "Thanks."

"No problem- _ttebayo_!"

Reika approaches her brother and asks, "You okay?"

"Hn."

"That's not an answer."

"Yes."

"Okay. Good."

"Say, what're we supposed to do?" Naruto asks.

"Oh, look at that!" Sakura says as she points to the writing on the wall.

"Without… Heaven… I don't get it at all- _ttebayo_ …" Naruto pouts.

"If 'Heaven' does not exist, enrich your knowledge and prepare for the chance. If 'Earth' does not exist, run the fields in search of an advantage. Open the series of Heaven and Earth, and the perilous way shall be redressed… this is namely the secret of 'the one that guides blank-blank'," Sakura recites.

"What's that?" Naruto asks.

"It looks like there are letters or something missing there. It's probably has something to do with the scroll," Sakura says.

"Maybe we're supposed to open the Heaven and Earth scrolls together," Reika says.

Sakura takes the Heaven scroll from Naruto, and Naruto gulps in nervousness. They all eye the two scrolls nervously. Sakura and Naruto have their fingers on the edge of the scrolls, ready to open them.

"Okay, I'm opening it- _ttebayo_ …" Naruto says. They open the scrolls together, but nothing happens. They keep pulling the scroll open, and it has a kanji of 'person' inside a seal, "Huh? What's this?"

"A man…? A person…?" Sakura wonders with a tilt of her head.

Reika and Sasuke's eyes widen as they both realize what it the kanji means. Suddenly the kanji on both scrolls starts exuding smoke.

"It's a summoning jutsu!" Reika says.

"Naruto! Sakura! Let go of the scroll!" Sasuke commands. Both of them throw the scrolls to the ground, when suddenly something comes out of the smokes. Team 7 narrows their eyes at it, but then their eyes widen when the thing that comes out is something – or some _one_ – familiar.

"Hi. It's been a while."

"W-What's going on?" Sakura asks.

"It appears you guys have had a rough time."

"Huh? Eh? Why did Iruka-sensei appear from a summoning- _ttebayo_?"

"At the end of this second exam, we Chuunins are to welcome the test-takers. I just happened to be given the important task of being the messenger for you guys," Iruka says as he walks closer to Team 7.

"Messenger…?" Sakura asks.

Iruka reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small pocket watch, and sighs, "Just in time," he flips the watch close and turns to look at Team 7 with a smile, "Everyone, congratulations on surviving the second exam."

Team 7 opens their eyes wide.

"To celebrate your passing, I'd like to treat you to some Ichiraku ramen, but…"

"YAY!" Naruto cheers before Iruka finishes his sentence and throws himself at Iruka for a huge hug.

"Hey, Naruto! Listen to me…"

"Ramen! Ramen- _ttebayo_! I've done a great job! I'm the greatest!"

Iruka can only give a small smile and a sigh at his former student's behavior.

Sakura falls to the ground in relief. Reika and Sasuke follows suit. Reika has her left leg up and her right one folded on the floor, and she puts her forehead to her left knee, her arms hugging her left leg.

"He's got so much energy," Sasuke says.

"I know. I don't know where he got it from," Reika says without lifting her head, closing her eyes. She just feels _so tired_ , she just wants to go to sleep; nightmares be damned. She'd actually welcome them for once. She hasn't had any dreams for the entire time they were in the forest, and it made her uneasy instead of happy.

Naruto jumps in happiness, and finally Sakura snaps, "Shut up!"

"Geez, that scatterbrained part of you is the same as always, eh…"

"Hn. I see…" Sasuke smirks. Sakura looks at him questioningly, "If we had looked at the scroll in the middle of the exam, what were you going to do, Iruka-sensei?"

Reika lifts her head and watches as Iruka walks back and takes the Earth scroll from off the floor, "Sasuke, you're sharp as always," he says as he turns to look at Team 7, "You guessed right. The rules of this exam were to test your conclusive mission execution ability. To put it simply, in the case of the scrolls being opened contrary to the rules…"

"What would happen?" Reika asks curiously.

"I was ordered to knock unconscious the test-takers in front of me until the end of the exam."

"Hn. Good thing you didn't open the scroll," Sasuke says. Reika snorts in amusement as Naruto and Sakura look flabbergasted. Sakura then looks back to the message on the wall.

"Oh yeah, sensei! What are the letters on that wall?" Sakura asks, "We don't understand what it means at all."

"Never mind that! We've passed!" Naruto says.

"No… explaining that is one more of my duties," Iruka says.

"What, really?" Naruto asks.

"Yes. Give it a read. These are the Chuunin instructions Hokage-sama recorded."

"Instructions?"

"That's right. Heaven in this text refers to the human head. Earth refers to the human body."

"Ah…" Reika exclaims with a small smile as she understands. She loves deciphering codes, and with Iruka's hint, it becomes so much easier.

"Yes, Reika?"

"'If 'Heaven' does not exist, enrich your knowledge and prepare for the chance'. That means if your weakness is in your head, gather more information and learn various logics when preparing for a mission. 'If 'Earth' does not exist, run the fields in search of an advantage'. That means if your weakness is in your physical strength, never slack on your training. 'Open the series of Heaven and Earth, and the perilous way shall be redressed'. In other words, use both your mental and physical strength, and any hard mission will become easier," Reika explains.

"That's exactly right," Iruka says with a proud smile, "Thanks for making my job easier, Reika."

"Then, what about the spot with the missing letter?" Sakura asks.

"The letter refers to Chuunin. The one letter for 'person' that was in the scroll from earlier goes there," Iruka says, "These five days of survival were to test the test-takers' fundamental abilities as a Chuunin. And you guys cleared it well. Chuunin is of unit-leader class. They have the responsibility of leading a team. Be more deeply aware of the necessity of physical strength and knowledge in missions! I want you to take on the next step, never forgetting these Chuunin instructions," Iruka smiles at them, "That is all of the messenger task I was given."

"Got it!" Naruto says as he salutes Iruka. But interestingly, Iruka doesn't smile at Naruto. Instead, he frowns.

"But, as for the final third exam, don't push it too far," Iruka warns. He looks straight into Naruto's eyes, "Especially you, Naruto. You're the biggest worry…"

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto says, stopping Iruka mid-sentence, "From the moment I received this Konoha hitai-ate, I'm no longer an Academy student. There's nothing to worry about- _ttebayo_!" Naruto holds the metal of his hitai-ate on his forehead, "Also, you gave me this as a proof that I'm full-fledged, right? The fact that I'm scatterbrained may not have changed, but I'm not a kid anymore! I'm now a ninja!" Naruto says as he looks straight into Iruka's eyes.

Iruka smiles, "Is that so? I'm sorry, Naruto."

Naruto chuckles in victory.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Like I said before, I'm hopeless when it comes to writing action and fight scenes, so don't get your hopes up for Reika's fight in the preliminaries. Nevertheless, enjoy!**

* * *

The Forest of Death has definitely worn Reika out. She has recuperated a bit so that she's not completely chakra deprived, but it's not enough. Right after they arrive in the tower, Team 7 and the rest of the teams who passed the second exam are relocating to a hall with two hands performing a ram seal.

The examinees all line up in accordance to their teams, with Team 7 as the only one team with four people in it, so Reika stands at the very back of the line, Sakura in front of her, followed by Sasuke and Naruto. There are a total of 7 teams altogether, with one four-man team, so the total of examinees who pass are 22 people. At the very front, Reika can see the Hokage and the Jounin team leaders behind him, the proctors standing on the side of the podium.

"First of all, congratulations on finishing the second exam," Anko says with a smirk.

Reika looks around the room and she can see all the Rookie 10, Lee's team, Kabuto's team, and the Oto and Suna teams. _Incredible. There were 3 teams with four people in it, but we're the only one remaining. We started out with 81 people and we're down to 22. Anko-san wasn't kidding about cutting our number_ , Reika thinks. She frowns in worry when she sees Sasuke clutching the back of his neck.

"Now then, we will now have the explanation of the third exam from Hokage-sama. Listen carefully, everybody!" Anko says before turning to look at Hokage, "Now then, if you will, Hokage-sama."

Sandaime Hokage steps forward and clears his throat, "Before the explanation of the third exam that we will start from now, I have just one thing I want to tell everyone: about the real purpose of these exams. Why do allied nations conduct the exams on a conjoint basis? Raising the levels of the shinobi and friendship among allied nations. It won't do to have the wrong idea of the true meaning of that statement. These exams are so to speak…" Hokage blows out smoke from his mouth as he closes his eyes. He reopens them and says, "…a microcosm of battle between allied nations."

Reika narrows her eyes. _So… what Kabuto said was true…_

"What does that mean?" Tenten asks.

"If we look back on history, the allied nations of today were once neighboring nations that continued to vie with each other and battle for power. In order to avoid a futile crushing of each other's military strength, those nations mutually selected a place to battle. And that was how the Chuunin Exams originally began," Hokage explains.

"W-Why do we have to do such a thing- _ttebayo_? We're not doing this to select Chuunins?" Naruto asks.

"There is no question that these exams are to select shinobi worthy of becoming Chuunin. But on the other hand, these exams also provide a venue for shinobi who carry their nation's pride on their backs to fight for their lives."

"Nation's pride…?" Sakura mumbles.

"Many daimyos and those of prominence from many nations who request shinobi for work are invited to this third exam as guests. And the daimyos and head ninjas of each village of the nations will watch your battles. If the gap in national power becomes unbridgeable, the strong nations are inundated with job requests. The requests of nations deemed weak, on the other hand, decline. And therewithal, we can exert pressure upon each neighboring nation. That is to say, just how much military strength our village is developing and has."

"Even so, why is it necessary for us to fight for our lives?!" Kiba protests.

"The nation's strength is the village's strength. The village's strength is the shinobi's strength. And the true strength of the shinobi is created only in a fight for one's life. This exam is a place to see and display the strength of home country shinobi. It is because it's an exam where you truly fight for your life that this has meaning. It's for this very reason that your forerunners fought in this exam, a dream worth striving for."

"Then… why use the expression 'friendship'?" Tenten asks.

"I said it at the start, didn't I? That it won't do for you to have the wrong idea of the meaning. It's a custom where balance is preserved by fighting and removing life. This is the friendship of the shinobi world. This is a fight for life with the pride of the village and one's own dream on the line."

"Heh. I'm convinced," Naruto says with a smirk.

"Anything is fine. Just tell us the content of that fight-for-life test," Gaara says.

"Very well," Hokage says with a nod, "Now then, this is where I'd like to explain the third exam. But actually…" the Hokage clears his throat, and a shinobi appears, kneeling before the Hokage. Reika raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"Hokage-sama, please allow me, Gekkou Hayate, who was given the task of judge, to speak first."

"I leave it to you…" Hokage says. The shinobi – Hayate – stands up and turns to look at the examinees.

"Everyone, nice to meet you…" Reika winces when he starts to cough, "Before the next exam…" he coughs again, "There's something I need you to do…" another coughing fit. _Geez, is he okay? He keeps coughing…_ Reika thinks with a frown, "…and that is a preliminary to the third exam, with participation in the main battle on the line," Hayate finishes his sentence.

Reika's eyes widen. _Preliminary? Seriously?_

"What do you mean by preliminary?!" Shikamaru asks agitatedly.

"Sensei, I don't understand the point of that preliminary," Sakura says, "Why aren't we doing the next exam with the remaining test-takers?"

"This time around, perhaps because the first and second exams were easy, there are a few too many people left, you see. In accordance with the rules of the Chuunin Exams, a preliminary will be held in order to reduce the number advancing," Hayate explains.

Reika rolls her eyes. _Too easy, huh? Of course._

"N-No way!" Sakura exclaims in horror.

"As Hokage-sama said before, many guests will be coming to the third exam. So we can't have long pointless matches and our time is limited as well. Therefore, those of you not in top physical condition…" Hayate is cut off by another coughing fit. _Isn't it_ you _who's not in top physical condition?_ Reika thinks, "Excuse me. Those of you who wish to drop out, please speak up now. Because the preliminary will begin immediately."

Reika sighs. _Immediately? Are they trying to kill us?_ Even though she has gained some of her chakra back, she honestly doesn't think she can use more than one jutsu for her fight. She's forbidden from taking anymore soldier pills by the medic-nins she was brought to after they arrived, as she had taken three within 24 hours in the Forest of Death. The medic-nins are concerned that she might overdose if she takes more. Reika doesn't think it would really make a difference, but she doesn't say anything to them and follows their instruction.

"Oh, and… I forgot to mention this, but it will be individual battles from now on. It is your decision, so feel free to raise your hands and drop out."

Reika flinches when she feels Sasuke's chakra go unstable just slightly. It has been happening since they arrive at the tower, but this time it's more frequent. She frowns in worry as Sasuke grips the back of his neck tightly.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura calls out, "Sasuke-kun, you should quit these preliminaries!"

Reika's eyes widen at her words. _There's no way he'd do that._ Even Naruto turns around to look at her in shock.

"L-Look, you haven't been yourself ever since you got worked over by that Orochimaru guy! The bruise hurts even now, right…? At this rate…!" Sakura squeezes her eyes shut as she remembers the look on Sasuke's face when he defeated those Oto shinobis. She trembles in fear, "Please…" she wipes her teary eyes, "Please, quit! I'm… scared. You're in no condition to fight properly, Sasuke-kun…!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke hisses.

"I understand!"

"Be quiet!"

"But you've been enduring the pain this whole time, right?!"

" _Please_ be quiet!"

"Tell him, Reika!" Sakura says as she turns to look at Sasuke's twin sister, her last hope of convincing Sasuke.

Sasuke turns to look at Reika, and she looks back at him for a second, but then she looks away and sighs. He grits his teeth when he sees his sister's eyes. She has their father's eyes, just like Itachi. Every time he looks at her, he's reminded of him; not the one who killed their whole clan, but the loving older brother who doted on him and his sister. That's why he hated her eyes; they remind him of an illusion. _If I quit now… I won't know if I'm strong enough to defeat Itachi._

Reika sighs as she looks away from Sasuke. It's a trait of the Uchiha clan members that she herself possesses; stubbornness. No matter what anyone says, if they've made their mind up about something, there's no talking it out of them. Reika knows that no matter what anyone says, even what she, Sasuke's twin sister, says, Sasuke is not going to change his mind.

Reika opens her eyes and looks straight into Sasuke's eyes, "…do what you want to do," Reika says.

"…hn."

"Reika?!"

"Look, Sakura, I know him. He won't quit. Rather than wasting your breath about this, just concentrate on yourself," Reika says. It sounds harsh, but it's the truth.

"Aren't you worried about him?!" Sakura leans forward and whispers, "About your own _twin brother_?!"

"Of course I am!" Reika hisses with a glare. Sakura pulls away in shock, "Don't you dare question how worried I am! But he's a grown man, Sakura; he can make his own decisions! Even if he makes a bad one, he'll learn from it, because that's what we do!"

Sakura bites her lower lip and turns back to look to the front, "No matter what you say, Sasuke-kun, I'm going to tell the teachers about the bruise! If I do that…" Sakura starts to lift her hand up. But before she could, Sasuke takes the outstretched hand while Reika pins her other hand to stop her from doing anything.

"Be quiet about this bruise," Sasuke says.

Sakura shakes her head, "Why are you acting tough like that?! I don't want to watch you suffer all the time anymore! For me, you are…"

"This has nothing to do with you!" Sakura flinches at Sasuke's words, "It's none of your business," Sasuke takes his hand away from Sakura's, and Reika follows suit, "I said it once before… I'm an avenger. This isn't just a mere exam to me. The Chuunin business has nothing to do with me. I just want to know how strong I am by fighting with those who are strong. And… they're here. I will not allow you…" Sasuke gestures at Reika with his chin, "…or even Reika-hime to take my path away from me!"

Reika looks down to the ground. Again, Sasuke is stubborn, Reika knows that all too well. He's had the idea that he was an avenger ever since the massacre, and no matter what Reika did or said, nothing could change his mind. That was when Reika gave up on talking him out of doing anything, and convinced herself that Sasuke doesn't need someone to make his decisions for him, because he's capable of doing so by himself. Whether he makes the right or wrong decision, he'll just have to bear the consequences by himself. She has no intention of controlling him.

"Teme! What are you doing putting up a front- _ttebayo_ , you idiot?!" Naruto protests," Here Sakura-chan is this worried about you–!"

"Naruto," Sasuke says as he turns to look at Naruto. He smirks at the shocked blond, "I want to fight you too."

"If no one is going to withdraw, then we will begin the preliminaries. It will be one-on-one individual battles. In other words, actual battle format. There are exactly 22 people, so we will conduct 11 battles. The winners will be able to advance to the third exam. There are no rules. You will fight until someone dies, collapses, or admits defeat.

"And… please admit defeat right away if you don't want to die. However, in case I judge that a match is over…" Hayate coughs, "…well, I don't want to needlessly increase dead bodies, so I will intervene and stop the match or something to that effect. What holds the key to your destinies is…" Hayate turns to look at Anko, and she nods. She says something to the microphone attached to her ear, and a curtain covering a monitor on the wall opens, "…this. The names of two foes will be randomly selected and displayed on this electronic signboard.

"Now then, let's get right down to it and announce two names for the first battle."

The monitor starts to light up, and it takes everyone's attention. After the names come out, Reika groans.

 _Reika_

 _vs._

 _Yakushi Kabuto_

Of course, fate likes to make fun of her and she has to fight first in her fatigued state. Reika sighs. _This could be interesting, though_ …

"Now then, the two displayed on the signboard, come forward."

As Reika walks forward, she catches Sasuke's arm, and leans towards him, "At least please consider telling Kakashi-sensei about _that_ ," Reika says as she gestures to his bruise with her head. Sasuke grits his teeth in annoyance, and Reika tightens her grip on his arm, "…please, nii-san."

"Tch. Fine. I'll think about it."

"Thank you. Now watch me, okay?" Reika says as she pulls away with a small smile. Sasuke's eyes soften, and he nods. Reika lets him go and walks forward in front of Hayate, facing Kabuto. At least now she has a reason to pummel him; she has never liked him in the first place. Reika doesn't have to be an Inuzuka to know that he smells like trouble.

"Well, apparently fate wanted me to fight you instead of Sasuke-kun, Reika-san," Kabuto says.

"Don't worry. I can do just as well as he could in kicking your ass," Reika says with a smirk.

"For the first battle, Reika and Yakushi Kabuto have been selected. No objections, right?" Hayate asks them.

"No," Reika and Kabuto answers in unison. _The sooner, the better, right?_ Reika thinks. Hayate nods at them.

"Now then, we will begin the first battle," Hayate coughs, "Everyone other than the two foes, please move to the upper area."

"You've been quiet for a long time, Little Miss Sunshine, why don't you show us what you can do?" Kiba taunts her.

Reika looks at him and smirks, "Oh, I _will_ show everyone what I can _really_ do."

"Reika," Kakashi says as he walks past her, "Don't strain yourself and use the Sharingan."

Reika's eyes widen, but then she smirks, "Hn. So you knew."

"You know your own limits, so I trust you," Kakashi says as he walks away with all her teammates. She doesn't say anything about Sasuke's bruise, because the decision to tell Kakashi is all Sasuke's.

Reika heaves a sigh. Kakashi is right. She can't use taxing ninjutsu for fear that she'll pass out from chakra exhaustion, which means she'll lose, which would be bad. She actually wants to become a Chuunin. The problem is, most of the useful ninjutsu she knows are quite taxing. She could use her Sharingan to cast genjutsu, but she doesn't know how to do that yet. Taijutsu is out of the question. Reika inhales sharply when she can feel a disturbance in Sasuke's chakra. _Not to mention nii-san's chakra is also changing… I can't just ignore it…_

All Reika can do is just rely on her speed and her shurikenjutsu. If she _really_ needs it, she'll use her Sharingan. Only when she really needs it.

"Now then, please begin."

Now that she knows what to do, she grabs a kunai in her left hand. She takes a stance and gets ready. Kabuto attacks her with a kunai in his hand, and Reika deflects it with her own. Their kunai battle happens for a short while until she flips backwards to create some distance between them and throws her senbons. She clicks her tongue when most of them are deflected. At least one of them managed to stab his ear, to which he groans at. She may have underestimated her opponent, which is the biggest mistake a shinobi can ever do.

" _Never underestimate your opponent, Reika-hime. You may have to pay the ultimate price for it."_

She suddenly remembers Shisui's words before her first time sparring with another person. She had underestimated her opponent then and she lost. Reika smiles bitterly when she realizes that she has done the same mistake. _Forgive me, Shisui-nii-sama…_

In her daze, Kabuto dashes forward and throws a punch at Reika's temple, which she clumsily deflects with her fist. He has a different look on his face now. Maybe he got mad because she managed to hurt him. She aims a kick to the side of his ribs, but he moves faster and catches her leg and flings her towards a wall, leaving a dent on it. Kabuto is not only stronger and better than her at taijutsu, but he's not as fatigued as Reika, so his movements seem faster than it's supposed to be.

"Rei-chan!"

"Is that all you got, Little Miss Sunshine?!" Kiba may sound like he's taunting her (he is), but he's actually worried about her.

"I expected more from you, Reika-san!" Kabuto taunts her. Reika stands up from her position and coughs as she glares at the older shinobi. He seems a little bit different than the guy who helped them earlier. Reika smirks. _Just as I thought, this_ is _interesting. He's starting to show us his true colors_.

Reika walks forward as she unzips her white hoodie and takes it off. She throws her hoodie to the side, revealing her sleeveless dark blue tight t-shirt, proudly boasting the Uchiha crest on her back. She has nothing to hide now. Screw what Sandaime Hokage says. She is an Uchiha, and she is going to show Kabuto how it feels to have his ass handed to him by one.

From the second floor balcony, Kiba's eyes widen, "Why does she… have the same symbol as Sasuke's on the back of her shirt?" Hinata has her hands over her mouth in shock, and even behind his sunglasses, Shino's eyes are wide.

"…is she…?" Kurenai says, also with wide eyes.

"She's an Uchiha," Asuma explains. Team 8, Team 10, and Kurenai turn to look at him in shock. Team 10 didn't think he knows. From close by, Team Guy is also listening in, "She's actually Uchiha Sasuke's twin sister. Not a lot of people know, because my father told her and Sasuke to hide her identity, but a handful of Jounin knows about it," Asuma explains before turning his focus back on the match.

"I have to admit, Kabuto-san; I underestimated you. My mistake," Reika starts as she looks down and closes her eyes. She focuses her chakra into her eyes, and when she looks back up and opens them, two red Sharingans with two tomoe looks back into Kabuto's eyes, which widen when he sees them. Reika smirks, "But trust me when I say that I'll make up for that mistake now."

"Yeah! Go Rei-chan!" Naruto shouts from the balcony, Sasuke smirking beside him as he watches his sister. He groans in pain as the bruise start to sting again, and he can see Reika flinching at the same time as he does.

Reika sees Kabuto click his tongue and he makes hand seals – which she catches with her Sharingan; that jutsu might come in handy one day – and his hand is covered in chakra with a sharp end. Reika whistles.

"You're a medic-nin too? You really _are_ interesting," Reika says with a smirk as she takes her stance once again. She dashes forward at the same time as Kabuto and Reika deflects Kabuto's hands with her kunai. She is determined not to be on the defense once again. Since she can see his movements with her Sharingan, she can keep up with him.

Reika's eyes widen when Kabuto's chakra covered hand hits her right on her chest. Not only is she thrown backwards, she can hardly breathe. _So… those hands can inflict internal damage without injuring the target externally… interesting_ , Reika thinks as she stays on the ground.

"Just give up, Reika-san. That is… if you value your life…" Kabuto says with a smirk.

Reika smirks, "Do you know… that we… Uchiha clan members… have one trait… in common?" she asks slowly as she tries her hardest to breathe, "We're all… stubborn to the core!" She throws a punch towards his cheek as a fake, and delivers a sharp and fast kick to his chin, throwing him backwards. Even though she's not good at taijutsu, she knows that if she can kick quickly and accurately, it will hurt. And she's confident in the strength of her legs, considering how long she's been using her weights.

While he's airborne, Reika heaves. She has a jutsu in mind, but with her condition, she only has one shot at it. She decides to take her chances and quickly creates ox, rabbit, tiger, and monkey seals. After she's done, she takes her rarely used shurikens, throws them, and blows fire from her mouth at the same time.

The fire envelops the shurikens and they run their course towards Kabuto. He looks panicked and he manages to deflect few of them, but most of them slashes him and not only do they make him bleed, they _burn_. Not to mention the kunai he used to deflect those shurikens are affected by the flames too. As expected from an Uchiha, the flame is very strong. He turns his head to look at the shurikens and see that they are still encased in flames, burning the floor and the wall. He looks back to where Reika is supposed to be, but only sees three black feathers on the floor where she used to stand. Kabuto frowns.

"Where did Rei-chan go?" Naruto asks as he looks for Reika. His eyes widen when he found her, "Ah!"

" _Your_ mistake, Kabuto-san…" Kabuto's eyes widen as he feels the cold kunai against his throat, and the sharp senbons against his back, already penetrating his clothes, "…is that _you_ underestimated _me_. Now… I'm low on chakra… and you're hurt. Seeing as _I'm_ the one… who has a kunai on your throat… I think you know… what the smart thing to do is."

Kabuto can practically hear the smirk on her face. He smiles and sighs. He raises his hand as he says, "I yield, proctor."

"The winner of the first battle …" Hayate looks at Reika and she nods at him, "Uchiha Reika, passes the preliminaries."

Reika can hear her friends cheering. She pants as she pulls away from Kabuto and puts her weapons in their holster. Fatigue is hitting her like a hurricane now. Kabuto turns to look at her and offers her a hand to shake. She hesitates for a moment, but decides to be the bigger person and shakes his hand. Kabuto walks towards his teammates, and Reika turns to look at her brother. She is pleasantly surprised to see him smiling at her proudly.

"Good luck on your own match, nii-san!" Reika yells as she smiles back at him, but her vision goes blurry. The last thing she remembers is falling against Kakashi and losing consciousness.

xXx

"Rei-chan!" Naruto exclaims as Reika collapses, but sighs in relief when Kakashi appears before her and catches her limp body.

Kakashi puts his book in his waist pouch and takes Reika in his arms. He turns to look at the medic-nins running in with a stretcher, "Ah, don't worry about her. She's my student; I'll take her," the medic-nins nod at him and Kakashi flickers away with Reika in his arms. He considered not taking her to the hospital, just in case she woke up before the matches end, but ultimately decided to admit her to a hospital, assigning some ANBU Black Ops to guard her room since she could also be a target of Orochimaru's.

"Good thing Kakashi-sensei was there," Sakura says, "I hope she'll be okay…" _But Reika is… really good_ , Sakura thinks.

"She'll be fine," Sasuke says confidently, "It's not the first time this happens. She may know her limits, but she pushes them all the time. She just needs to get it to her head that her chakra reserve is too low for her to be reckless."

"Are you worried about Rei-chan, Sasuke?" Naruto asks with a mocking tone.

"Of course I'm worried about my sister, dobe," Sasuke says with a scowl. Naruto and Sakura widen their eyes at his openness, "I'm not heartless." Sasuke's eyes are locked at the black feathers on the floor that was left in the wake of Reika's _Shunshin_. _Reika-hime… crow feathers, really?_ Sasuke thinks with a sigh.

"W-What just happened?" Chouji asks, "One second she was in front of him, but then she just reappeared behind him!"

"She was just using _Shunshin no Jutsu_ , idiot," Shikamaru says, "I heard that when she was little, she was mentored by a master of that jutsu."

 _So she's Uchiha Shisui's student… No wonder she practically faded out of sight_ , Asuma thinks.

"She must be pretty damn tired if a basic _Shunshin_ knocks her out. Tch. Troublesome woman."

"You sound worried, Shikamaru," Ino says teasingly. She cackles when Shikamaru blushes, "But did you _see_ just how fast she made those seals?" Ino asks with wide eyes, "I never knew Reika could do that…" _She has never really shown anything special in the Academy… I didn't know she'd been hiding this kind of ability_ , Ino thinks.

"Everything happened so fast…" Hinata says.

"Heh. Little Miss Sunshine's pretty good, eh, Akamaru?" Kiba asks, and Akamaru barks at him.

"She's quite the fighter. She was clearly tired, but she held her own until the end," Shino comments.

"And passes out in the process," Kiba says mockingly, "She may be good, but she's not all that strong. Did you see her trying to kick him, but got thrown against a wall afterwards? Hilarious!"

"But she managed to throw him backwards somehow. She was _that_ fast," Shino says, "With her performance today, I think she might be able to outsmart you in a battle, Kiba."

"What?!"

"K-Kiba-kun… Shino-kun… p-please don't fight…" Hinata says meekly. Kurenai sighs as she listens to her boys bickering. Well, more like Kiba yelling profanities at Shino and Shino calmly retaliating.

"I'm getting more excited about my race with Reika-san!" Lee says.

"She may be fast, but you're still faster than her, Lee! I know you can defeat her!" Guy says.

"Yes, Guy-sensei!"

"Did she actually agree to race with you, or are you forcing her into it?" Tenten asks rhetorically. She sighs, and turns to look at Neji, "What do you think, Neji?"

"She's not bad. Considering she's chakra deprived, she made a good call with that jutsu. She has quite the aim," Neji says. _Uchiha clan… really is impressive_ , Neji thinks with a smirk.

Orochimaru smirks from the balcony. He licks his lips. _I really do want you, Reika-chan…_

xXx

After Kakashi lays Reika down on a bed, he flinches and turns as Orochimaru approaches him.

"Orochimaru!" _How could he come in here?!_

"Now, now, don't be alarmed, Kakashi. I just want to see… how my new experiment is doing…"

"She is _not_ your experiment!" Kakashi glares at one of the Legendary Konoha Sannin. He knows that he has no chance of defeating him in a battle, but he'll die trying if it means protecting his students.

"Oh, but she _will_ be. You'll see… Sasuke-kun will come to me, seeking power… and Reika-chan will come to _him_ to protect him from me. Then I'll have them, and their Sharingans' powers all to myself…" Orochimaru then leaves in a puff of smoke, and Kakashi clicks his tongue in irritation. He turns to look at Reika and pets her hair.

 _This might be wishful thinking… no one knows how much you'll sacrifice for the sake of your brother more than yourself, but… please prove him wrong, Reika._

Kakashi walks out of the room and finds the ANBU team he assembled still intact, "We need to tighten the security. No one goes in or out of this room unless I say so, got it?"

"Yes, sir!"


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: This is actually a filler chapter, but it tells you what happens between the preliminaries and the final exam. Plus, there's a little bit of Shikamaru/Reika if you squint, so there's that. Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

Reika comes to with a gasp. She almost sighs in relief when she realizes she just had a nightmare, but opts not to. Naruto is sitting on her bedside. She groans at the light and squeezes her eyes shut before opening them again.

"Ah, Rei-chan! You're awake!" Naruto says.

"She's awake?" Sakura says from the direction behind the curtain to her right. The curtain slides open, and Sakura sighs in relief when she sees that Reika is conscious, "Oh, thank God…"

"…I passed out, didn't I?"

"You did," Kakashi says from her left, beside Naruto, "Your _Shunshin no Jutsu_ must be the breaking point for your chakra reserve. It's been a day since you passed out from chakra exhaustion. I told you not to strain yourself."

"Believe me, I've gone through worse," Reika says as she sits up with a groan. She thanks Naruto, who helps her sit, "Where's nii-san?"

"He's safe," Kakashi answers vaguely.

"Is he okay?" Reika asks.

"His… neck is troubling him," Kakashi says. Reika's eyes widen, while Kakashi smiles at her reassuringly, "He managed to fight it in the middle of the fight. And I've done some countermeasures, so he'll be fine."

"That's good," Reika sighs in relief. She turns to look at her teammates, "So… how were the matches?"

Naruto and Sakura take turns in telling her what had happened while she was out. From what she gathered, Sasuke (she mentally pouts for missing his match), Naruto (she laughs out loud for the first time in front of her teammates after she knows how he defeated Kiba – "Man, I'd kill to see his face when he lost!" Reika says as she wipes a tear that escapes her eyes in mirth), Shino (she shudders at the thought of Shino being a living, breathing bug hive), Shikamaru (she giggles after she heard how he won. She also gave the softest smile she had ever shown her teammates), and Neji are through to the final round, along with Dosu, and the three Sunagakure shinobis, the female one mainly utilizes a giant fan and Kankurou uses puppets. Sakura and Ino had tied, and none of them are through to the final round.

They also mentioned that Neji – who is actually a member of the Branch Hyuuga family – almost killed Hinata – a member of the Main Hyuuga family – and Gaara – who used sand as his primary weapon – had crushed Lee's shinobi dreams, literally.

"You guys have a month to prepare for the next round," Kakashi says, "Everyone's gone and found a sensei to prepare them for their fight, so you might want to find one too."

"Kakashi-sensei, why won't you train me?" Naruto whines.

"Because I'll be training Sasuke. You have your own sensei, Naruto."

"So… who am I going up against with?" Reika asks.

"Dosu, the Otogakure shinobi. You're up after Naruto," Sakura says.

"Good. I'll kick his ass," Reika says with a small glare. But then she realizes something, "Oh, but if it's a tournament, does that mean only one person will become Chuunin?"

"Not necessarily. If your performance is good enough, you'll be promoted regardless of the result. Just show them what you're made of and you'll be fine," Kakashi says.

Reika sighs in relief, "Good. Now, I just need to find a sensei…"

"What do you have in mind, Reika?" Kakashi asks.

"I was thinking about upgrading my taijutsu a little bit… and maybe learn some new shurikenjutsu," Reika says. She goes silent for a while before adding, "Kakashi-sensei, do you know anyone who can teach me how to infuse my chakra into my weapons? If I can do it with shurikens, I should be able to do it with kunais or senbons, right? So? Do you know anyone?"

Reika sees Kakashi holding his chin as he thinks, and then he smiles, "I think I know just the guy."

xXx

Reika looks around the dango shop, 10 minutes before 9 AM. After Reika says her request, Kakashi leaves her hospital room and doesn't come back. Until one day, a messenger hawk came to Reika the day she was discharged, telling her to come to a dango shop the Jounins like to frequent at around 9 AM.

"Well, you're early."

Reika turns at the voice, and her eyes widen, "Asuma-sensei?"

"It's good to see that Kakashi's bad habit hasn't rubbed off on you," Asuma says with a small grin.

"So… you're the one Kakashi-sensei is talking about."

"Kakashi told me you wanted to infuse your chakra into your weapons."

"I do."

Asuma grins at her, "Well, that's my thing. But before we begin… we need to buy you some new weapons. Come," he says as he leaves the dango shop.

Reika frowns as she follows Asuma behind, "What's wrong with the ones I have now?"

"They're not equipped to be infused with chakra on your will. The jutsu you used in the preliminaries is different, because you covered the shurikens with fire, instead of your fire chakra. If you want to infuse your chakra into your weapons, you'll need chakra weapons."

After picking a lot of weapons with special material from Asuma's favorite weapons shop, which is the only weapon shop in Konoha that strictly sells chakra weapons, Reika follows Asuma until they reach a training ground.

"Before we start training, do you know your main chakra affinity?" Asuma asks.

"Most likely fire…" Reika says with a shrug.

"Ah, right. You're an Uchiha," Asuma says, "You changed your shirt after the fight?"

Reika looks down at her new shirt, which is the same color as her last one, but now the Uchiha crest is situated in front of her chest instead of her back. She zips her hoodie halfway up so that the symbol is still visible. She smirks, "Why not? I've got nothing to hide now."

"Well, going back to what I was saying before…" Asuma pulls out a chakra paper, "Just to be sure, how about we check your affinity and see what we can work with?"

Reika takes the chakra paper from Asuma, and infuses it with chakra. As expected, the paper goes up in flames and turns to ash, but interestingly, one small corner of it crumbles into dirt. Reika's eyes widen.

"So you have a major affinity in fire and a minor in earth… This is good. You have something for both offense and defense. You're not limited to only mastering both of your affinities – even though it'll normally take you years to even master one – but we'll start with your affinities. Now, every type of nature chakra have different effects on the weapon," Asuma pulls out his chakra knuckles and infuses it with his chakra.

"My affinity, wind chakra, will increase the sharpness of my weapons. Lightning chakra has similar effects as wind chakra, but it also induces numbness. Your affinities, earth, can increase a weapon's defense power, and fire practically engulfs your weapon and will be able to burn anything it comes in contact with. It all depends on how much chakra you use and how powerful your chakra is."

Reika nods as she stores all those information in codes within her brain.

"How you infuse your chakra into your weapons is the same way as you infuse your chakra into that chakra paper. Why don't we start with infusing your weapons with fire chakra and work from there?"

"Yes, sir!"

xXx

It's July 23, one of Reika's days off, and she's spending it with Asuma, Shikamaru, and Chouji in Yakiniku Q. She eyes Chouji warily from beside him as he proceeds to demolish each and every one of his meat, 4 portions of them. She looks at Asuma and Shikamaru, who sit across Chouji and her respectively, and find that both of them look bored.

"I, uh… assume this is normal?" Reika asks carefully.

Shikamaru sighs, "Yeah… it's troublesome, but when he's whining for his beef, it's even _more_ troublesome," he turns to look at Chouji, "You sure can eat. Just watching you makes me feel ill," Shikamaru says. Reika has to agree. She understands the notion of 'feeling full just by watching someone eat' now.

"Thank you for waiting! Here you are!" A waiter comes over with _another_ portion of beef.

Chouji lights up, "It's here!" he proceeds to line the beef up nice and tidy on the grill, "This is mine, alright? Don't eat any of it, Shikamaru, Reika!"

Reika raises an eyebrow. Apparently Chouji doesn't mind sharing his food to Shikamaru and Reika, but that doesn't include beef.

"I won't eat any!" Shikamaru says.

"Neither will I. I'm full just by watching you eat, Chouji," Reika says. Asuma eyes his wallet, and Reika feels kinda bad.

"What's going on with you guys, barbeque in the middle of the day?"

Reika turns to look at the source of the voice, and finds Ino and Sakura standing outside of Yakiniku Q, peering in from the window.

"Hi, Ino, Sakura," Reika says with a small smile. Ino and Sakura's eyes widen for a bit, but then they smile back at her and wave.

"Shikamaru, Reika, shouldn't you guys be going through some special training or something to prepare for the final exam?" Ino asks.

"I am… every single day… Asuma is so persistent," Shikamaru gripes.

"Asuma-sensei's giving me the day off today," Reika says, "So I thought I'd sit by and watch Shikamaru's training."

Sakura's eyes widen, "Asuma-sensei is your special training sensei, Reika?"

"Yeah. He'd train Shikamaru in the morning and me in the afternoon. Sometimes he'd pit me and Shikamaru against each other," Reika explains, "To be honest, the one I'm always looking forward to isn't our fight, but our shogi match," Reika says with a smirk.

"Tch. Stop smirking, you troublesome woman. You've only won 7 times out of hundreds of games," Shikamaru smirks at her.

"Eight more wins, then I'll be ready to challenge your father."

Ino's eyes widen. _Reika can win against Shikamaru in a shogi match?!_

Asuma laughs out loud, "Well, if you'd train as hard as Reika, maybe you'd get a day off! And you guys can have more shogi matches!" he says as he puts a hand on Shikamaru's head.

"Tch. What a drag… don't compare me to an Uchiha…"

Reika glares at him, "So what if I'm an Uchiha? I should take credit for all of my hard work, not my clan!"

"Calm down, woman, geez…" Shikamaru sounds lazy, but his eyes are apologetic, and Reika huffs when she sees them. She nods subtly, indicating that she forgives him. He smirks at her, and she smirks back at him. Asuma, Chouji, Ino, and Sakura are eyeing their exchange, wondering when this happened.

Asuma looks at Ino, "Actually, Chouji's been joining me and Shikamaru in the special training."

"Really?" Ino says, "So you took it on?" she asks Chouji.

Chouji nods happily, "Yeah! In exchange, he's treating me to as much barbeque as I can eat!"

"I see…" Ino sighs.

"Man, I shouldn't have held on for the final round…" Shikamaru says as he puts his arms behind his head.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Asuma says, "There are numerous people who want to participate, but can't!"

"That's right!" Sakura adds.

"From what I've heard, they're doing some awfully difficult things over at Guy and Kurenai's team," Asuma says.

"W-What is it?" Shikamaru asks tentatively.

"Even though we've made it this far, to get totally thrashed wouldn't be very cool… eh, Shikamaru?" Asuma asks. Reika snorts.

"Geez, what a drag…"

"Anyway, where are you girls going?" Reika asks.

"We're going to see Sasuke-kun," Sakura says, "Do you want to join us, Reika?"

Reika doesn't have the heart to say it, but they won't even find Sasuke in his room today. She knows that he's going to start his training with Kakashi today, with or without the hospital's consent. He also told her not to wait up for him because he doesn't know when or if he'll be coming home. She protested at first, but then she gave up and just told him to be careful. She also wished him an early happy birthday.

 _Sorry Sakura, Ino… but… I can't let you get in the way of nii-san's training,_ Reika apologizes mentally as she takes a bite of a tomato in a salad she ordered earlier, "No, thanks. I've visited him yesterday," Reika says.

"Eh? Why not? It's his birthday, isn't it?" Ino asks.

"Doesn't that mean it's your birthday too?" Shikamaru asks, "Happy birthday," he says with a small smile.

"Thanks," Reika says as she gives Shikamaru a small smile.

"Right… you guys are twins; of course you have the same birthday," Asuma says as Ino and Sakura's eyes widen in realization, "Happy birthday, Reika."

"Thanks, Asuma-sensei."

"Happy birthday, Reika!" Chouji says as he gives her one of his meats, "Birthday present!"

Reika chuckles at him. _Chouji really is a kind person. There's no better present from Chouji other than his favorite meat_ , "Thanks, Chouji," Reika claps her hands in thanks and eats the meat. She turns to look at Ino and Sakura, "You girls go ahead. I was only let in for five minutes, though, so don't get your hopes up. Tell him I said happy birthday, okay?"

"Sure… happy birthday, Reika," Sakura says.

"Yeah, happy birthday," Ino follows suit.

"Yeah, thanks," Reika says as Ino and Sakura leave for the hospital.

 _It's a shame we're not together, but… happy birthday, nii-san._

xXx

Reika needs to thank Kakashi the second she meets him, because Asuma is a terrific sensei. Within three weeks, she manages to master chakra flow with her senbons. She thought about trying to find Kakashi multiple times, but opts not to. Not only does she want to thank Kakashi, but she is also worried about Sasuke. She's been living on her own for a while now, and she just can't get used to it. She's not used to not seeing her brother for a long period of time.

After Sasuke's disappearance from the hospital, some ANBU have been questioning her about Sasuke's whereabouts multiple times, but she honestly doesn't know where he is. She only told them that he might be training with Kakashi, but that was all she knew. When she tries to track Sasuke's chakra, she knows that he's not within the village. She can also feel the presence of some ANBU around her when she's training, so she knows this might have something to do with Orochimaru.

After mastering chakra flow, Reika doesn't stop. She knows that even speed can't really counter Dosu's sound jutsu, because when she woke up in the Forest of Death, Lee, who was just as fast as her, had been knocked unconscious by it. Reika works up a strategy to throw him off and defeat him. So, even though he's not the master of taijutsu, Reika asks Asuma to help her with her taijutsu skills. She's also forced to learn how to use her Sharingan's genjutsu all on her own, as she has no one else to teach her. It's not perfect, but it has to do.

In one of her other days off, as usual, she oversees Shikamaru's training with Chouji. When Chouji attacks him with _Nikudan Sensha_ , Shikamaru realizes that he ran out of chakra, and jumps into the bushes to hide. Reika slaps a hand to her forehead.

"Stop hiding and be a man, Nara Shikamaru!" Reika scolds, "Geez… you're pathetic."

"What's the matter, Shikamaru?" Asuma asks, "Have you hit your limit already?"

"Geez, what a drag…"

"You need to learn your limits and use your chakra effectively. That's what my mentor used to teach me," Reika says as she crosses her arms behind her head, leaning them against the tree she's sitting by, "You're smart enough to do that."

"Alright, Chouji! One more time!" Asuma says.

"Okay!"

"After this, Reika, get ready to spar with Shikamaru," Asuma says.

"Okay," Reika says as she yawns. A little bit more training won't hurt her.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: From this chapter on, there will be more interaction between Shikamaru and Reika, so I think that's something to look forward to! Something _not_ to look forward to is my horrible action scene writing skills. Geez, there are so many battle scenes, it's ridiculous lol. Anyways, thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

Of all the times for her to be sick, this has got to be the worst one. It's not the first time Reika curses her weak immune system, and it's not going to be the last.

There Reika stands, between Shino and Shikamaru, waiting for the other finalists – namely Naruto and her brother – to come, while trying to dumb down the voice of the crowd. _So noisy…_ Reika thinks as she frowns. Her head is still throbbing, and she starts to pant. Her fever must be spiking. She has been sick before, but this is the first time she's sick and been all on her own. It's surprisingly lonely. It has also been a while since she feels this horrible. Reika pinches the bridge of her nose to ease the headache, but to no avail.

"Hey, you okay?"

Reika turns to look at the source of the voice. She sighs, "…what do you think?"

Reika jumps a little bit when she feels Shikamaru's hand on her forehead, but ultimately closes her eyes in content from the pleasantly cold sensation against her burning skin, "Tch. What a drag… if you're sick, why are you here, troublesome woman?"

"And miss my chance on being a Chuunin until next year? Hell no," Reika says with a smirk as she pulls away from him, which Shikamaru calls troublesome. She meets his eyes, "I'll be fine. I just… need to tune out all this noise, and I'm good."

"Where's Sasuke?" Shikamaru asks as he looks around.

Reika shrugs, "Beats me. He never came home."

"You don't sound very worried," Shino suddenly says from her other side.

"Well, I know he's with Kakashi-sensei… so maybe it's sensei's fault that he's late. Kakashi-sensei has always been allergic to punctuality," Reika ends her sentence with a violent cough.

"Hey, hey… why don't you get some rest?" Shikamaru suggest with a worried tone to his voice.

"I told you I'll be fine…" Reika says weakly. Suddenly a loud sound comes from the gates of the arena. She turns to look at her back and sees Naruto sliding on the ground on his stomach towards the line of finalists, stopping in front of her and Shikamaru, seemingly unconscious.

Shikamaru helps Naruto up and says, "What a drag…"

Naruto slowly regains consciousness and pulls away from Shikamaru, "Guys, run! A large herd of stampeding bulls is coming!"

Reika raises an eyebrow at his words. _Am I getting delusional, or did he seriously just say that?_

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Shikamaru asks.

"Geez, I'm serious! There was so many of them…!" Naruto stops and looks around him, but his eyebrows raise in confusion when he can't find one person, "Where's Sasuke?"

"I don't know. Not even Reika knows," Shikamaru says.

"Hey, you guys there. Don't be restless," says the new proctor who has a senbon in his mouth, "Throw out your chests and show your faces to the spectators!"

The crowd is _really loud_ , and it takes everything in Reika not to shout at them to be quiet. She only winces and looks at the crowd, easily finding her friends.

"You guys are the stars of this final round," the new proctor says. Not long afterwards, Sandaime Hokage starts with his speech, and Reika tunes him out. She's only really giving the new proctor – Shiranui Genma – her full attention when she hears her brother's name.

"Um… Sasuke still hasn't come. What'll happen?" Naruto asks.

"In case a competitor does not arrive by the start time of his match… he or she will lose by default," Genma says.

Reika grits her teeth. _Damn it, Kakashi-sensei… I'll skin you alive if you make nii-san late!_

"Listen up, you guys! The terrain is different, but just like the preliminaries, there are no rules. The matches will continue until one or the other dies, or acknowledges defeat. However, if I judge that it has been settled, I'll stop the match there. Arguments will not be allowed. Understood?" Genma explains. To be honest, Reika is only half listening to him. Her head continues to pound, and she lets out small coughs once in a while.

"So the first match is… Uzumaki Naruto. Hyuuga Neji. Just those two remain and the rest of you go to the waiting room,"

Reika looks at Naruto, "Good luck on your match, Naruto. Kick his ass for Hinata," Reika says as she follows her fellow finalists to the waiting room. Naruto gives her a huge grin and a thumbs up.

From there, the competitors can watch the matches through an open balcony. Reika looks down at the arena with dimmed vision. Reika curses under her breath, then coughs violently as she leans her body against a wall, crossing her arms in front of her chest and her right foot against the wall. She's careful not to get too close to the railings, but still close enough to see Naruto and Neji in the field. She leans her head against the wall and sighs.

"Get some rest," Reika hears as a fist bumps onto the top of her head. She looks at Shikamaru in front of her.

"Naruto will kill me if I miss his match," Reika says with a small smirk as she turns her head back to the arena.

"I'll tell you how his fight goes, word by word if I have to. Just rest. You look awful."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll watch until I fall asleep. It won't be long, anyway," Reika says with a yawn.

Shikamaru clicks his tongue in annoyance, "Tch. Troublesome woman…"

But, true to her words, not long after she sees Naruto attacking Neji, she's off to dreamland.

xXx

Reika wakes up with a gasp. Not because of her nightmare – which she doesn't have, which is unsettling –, but because of the spike of chakra in the air. She's felt this kind of chakra before, once in the Land of Waves, and once more in the Forest of Death.

"What happened?" Reika asks Shikamaru, who stands the closest to her.

"Oh, you're awake? I did say to rest, but I didn't expect you to sleep standing up," Shikamaru says.

"Let's just say I can sleep pretty much anywhere… again, what's happening?" Reika asks again, turning to look at the arena. She grimaces as her head continues to pound mercilessly.

"Neji pressed on all of Naruto's tenketsu… but he's not down yet," Shikamaru says, "In fact, he's exuding a lot more chakra than he's supposed to."

Reika still hasn't gotten around to ask Kakashi about that chakra Naruto possesses. Having all of his tenketsu pressed, Naruto shouldn't be able to do anything, but apparently that strange chakra can replace and reopen all of his tenketsu. _It's the same chakra, no doubt about it, but… this time it's not so… bloodthirsty. It's more stable, and Naruto doesn't seem like he's losing his mind. It's almost like he's gotten control over it._

Reika closes her eyes and reopens them to reveal her Sharingan, and her eyes widen when she can see 9 strips of orange-colored chakra from Naruto. _It can't be! Does this chakra… have something to do with the Kyuubi?!_

Reika has read something about the Bijuu before from an old text she found in her family's secret storage room. She knows that there are nine of them, and each Bijuu has tails in accordance to their names. Ichibi has one tail, Nibi has two tails, and so on. The more tails a Bijuu has, the more powerful it is. In an attempt to control them, each Bijuu are sealed inside a person, who is called a Jinchuuriki. In the old text, it says that Konoha was once attacked by the Kyuubi, and it was sealed by the Yondaime Hokage.

 _Does this mean… Naruto is the Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki?! Come to think of it… Naruto has always been hated by the villagers, but I never knew why… is it because people know that he has the Kyuubi inside of him?_ Reika wonders. Suddenly all of the chakra tails surround Naruto and enter him, covering his body with orange-colored chakra.

Suddenly Naruto moves, and Reika's eyes follow him. He's faster than usual, but it's nothing that can't be caught by her Sharingan. He jumps into the air and throws shurikens at him. Neji deflects all of them by spinning quickly in his spot, catching the fallen shurikens one by one while taking some of his own to his hand. Naruto steps onto the wall and uses his momentum to throw himself towards Neji, and Neji throws the shurikens towards him.

Reika's eyes widen when Naruto quickly dodges the shurikens to the side. _He's fast! Much faster than usual!_ Naruto shows up in front of Neji and throws a punch, but Neji dodges it. They both have a kunai in their hands and they throw them at the same time. After the kunais hit each other with a clang, they jump forward towards each other and catch their own kunais, hitting each other midair and landing on the ground across from each other.

"You… you're confident in close combat, right?" Naruto asks with a smirk. Neji narrows his eyes as Naruto dashes towards him, "I don't know what the Hyuuga destiny of hatred is! But if you're going to say it's futile, you don't have to do anything! After I become the Hokage…" Before Neji can do his rotation jutsu, Naruto has arrived in front of him, wielding his kunai. Their kunais meet and so do both of their chakras, "I'll change Hyuuga!"

The clash between them creates an explosion. Reika winces as the loud noise agitates her head. After the smoke thins, there are two holes on the ground, but no Naruto or Neji. All of a sudden, from one of the holes, a hand emerges. Neji pulls himself out of the hole with great effort. He walks towards the other hole slowly, where Naruto is lying down, seemingly unconscious.

 _Damn it, Naruto… you can't lose after those words you spit out!_ Reika thinks as she wills Naruto to get up.

"Failure-kun… sorry, but this is reality," Neji says, "Now this is really the…"

Reika's eyes widen as the ground right in front of Neji crumbles and Naruto's fist comes out of it, aiming straight for Neji's chin. Neji didn't see it coming and couldn't dodge the punch, throwing him backwards. The Naruto inside the hole disperses into smoke, revealing a hole within the hole. _Shadow clones… that's really smart_ , Reika thinks as she deactivates her Sharingan.

Naruto steps towards Neji, who lies on the ground, unable to move.

"In those conditions, you used _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_ just like that…" Neji comments, "The ninjutsu that you're good at, huh? I was careless…"

Naruto pants before saying, "I've… failed the graduation exam three times. As luck would have it, the ninjutsu tests that appeared on the graduation exam were always the ninjutsu I'm worst at: _Bunshin no Jutsu_. Don't go whining about boring stuff like destiny and whatnot and how it can't be changed! Because unlike me… you're not a failure."

Neji gulps and looks at the sky.

Genma smirks and says, "Winner… Uzumaki Naruto."

The crowd goes wild at the announcement. Reika squeezes her eyes shut once again at the noise. _So noisy…_ even so, she smirks when Naruto seems very happy about the positive attention he's receiving. _Good on you, Naruto._

xXx

"Moving on to the second round. Uchiha Reika and Kinuta Dosu. Come forward!" Genma calls out. Dosu jumps off the balcony into the arena.

"Well, here's hoping I don't pass out before he does," Reika says with a smirk.

"Good luck, Rei-chan!" Naruto says, who comes up to the waiting room after his match. Reika winces minutely at his loud voice, but she nods at him. She chooses to walk the long walk through the stairs, because there's just no way will she jump from that height. Even if she does, she doesn't know if she'll land on her feet had she jumped. She walks sluggishly until she faces Dosu.

"Then, let's begin."

"Little girl… you'd best be giving up now, if you don't want to die. You look awful."

"Aw, are you worried about me?" Reika asks with a sickly sweet smile, "That's sweet. But I suggest you worry about yourself. You messed with my friends and my brother; I'll have you know that that doesn't sit well with me. You won't run or hide, right?" Reika smirks when Dosu glares at her. She can't deny his words though; she _does_ feel awful. Reika lets her smirk fall and sighs as she takes a stance, "Let's just get this over with, shall we?"

"Took the words right out of my mouth, little girl!"

Dosu dashes forward and aims a punch at Reika. She dodges the punch, but she's seen this move already. She moves to the right to dodge the sound wave quickly, but not before her left ear is attacked. Reika growls and bites her lower lip as she can hear ringing in her left ear. She puts her hands on the ground in front of him, pulling herself up and kicking his right arm, which he uses to defend himself. Reika uses her hands as a center, and spins as she delivers kick to his left ribs. Dosu is thrown to the side, as Reika falls back on her feet, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to numb her aching head. Doing a spin kick was a bad move on her part.

"Wrong move, little girl!"

Reika opens her eyes just in time to see Dosu, still lying on the ground with his right hand aimed at her. She dashes to avoid it, but then she screams as she loses the hearing in her left ear. She can feel blood seeping out of it. _I can't believe I forgot that he can control the sound waves directly…_ Reika berates herself for her foul memory. She loses her balance and falls to the ground as she pukes. Her head grows even more painful than she has ever experienced. Her vision sways, and she curses.

"It's over, little girl," Dosu says as he pulls himself up.

Reika smirks as she wipes her mouth with the back of her left hand, "You're hurt."

"What?" Dosu stops in his tracks, his eyes widening. How could she have known about his injury?

Reika reaches into the inside of her leg warmers, starting from her left one, and pulls out her weights, "You've sustained a recent injury, and not from the kick I just gave you. With my level of taijutsu, that kick should've been easy to avoid, but you got hit anyway," Reika continues to take her weights off, this time from her right leg, "I guess you're hurt around… your side? It must've been a pretty nasty wound, if you can't move around much. Isn't it painful to fight with fractured ribs?"

She has to admit, what she's saying is only a stalling attempt. But from Dosu's shocked expression, she must not have been too far off the mark. With two weights in her arms, Reika smirks at Dosu. She throws one of them to the side, the weight landing heavily on the ground, leaving a dent. She uses both of her arms to fling the other right into Dosu's chest with all her might, falling to the ground after the weight leaves her hands. Dosu is thrown away by the weight that is thrown to his chest. She's sure to have worsened his injuries. Not exactly what a good medic-nin would do, but she's not really a medic-nin, so she guesses that's fine.

"You know…" Reika stands up as she activates her Sharingan. She's pretty wobbly on her feet, but she can still fight. With her Sharingan active, her previously blurring vision returns to normal. Her balance is still askew, but she'll just have to work with it, "I've always wanted to be as quick as the speed of sound. Why don't you be a judge?" Reika asks with a smirk as she looks into Dosu's eyes with resolve, and starts to walk in circles around him.

Dosu attacks her with his sound again, and his eyes widen when he realizes that he's only attacking a shadow of hers. He winces when his back starts to burn. He turns around and attacks Reika with his sound, but again, he's only attacking her image. This time, the burning pain comes from his left arm, and he looks down to see three metal senbons that look like it's been burned so it glows red. When he looks up, his eyes widen in panic. He's surrounded by multiple Reikas walking in circles around him, with three glowing senbons in each of her hands. The last thing he sees before the pain of fire burning his whole body knocks him out is her menacing smile, identical to the one he saw in Uchiha Sasuke's face when he broke his teammate's arm.

After Dosu's down, Reika stops and gives up to gravity as she falls to her knees, "So how was I? Pretty quick, huh?" Reika says, a smirk firmly in place as she deactivates her Sharingan, "I hope that'll teach you and your friends not to mess with the people around me."

Genma bites down on his senbon as he watches the Uchiha girl. He smiles and says, "Winner… Uchiha Reika."

Reika sighs as the crowd cheers. She turns to look at the waiting room and smiles as she sees Naruto jumping up and down in joy, Shino standing stoically beside him, and Shikamaru smiling at her approvingly. Reika frowns when she realizes that her brother has not arrived. The last thing she remembers is seeing some medic-nins approaching them before she completely falls to the ground.

xXx

Reika wakes up with a groan. Again, she doesn't dream. She's lying on a bed in the infirmary. She lifts herself up to a sitting position, silently thanking God that her head has stopped pounding. She grimaces when she can still hardly hear from her left ear, now bandaged. At least she can keep a straight posture now, her balance just a little bit better than before. She puts the back of her hand against her neck, and sighs in relief when she notices that even though she's still running a fever, it's not as bad as it was this morning. The medic-nins have done a tremendous job.

"Are you awake, Reika-chan?"

Reika turns to look at where the voice comes from. A medic-nin she used to learn under, Kirika, is standing right beside her, "Kirika-senpai… I'm sorry, but whose match is it now?" Reika asks.

"It's supposed to be Sasuke's, but he hasn't arrived yet, so his match is pushed to the very last. Right now it should be Kankurou against Shino," Kirika answers. Reika nods in thanks at her. She thanks God that she hasn't missed Sasuke's match. If it's already Shino's match, it means Shikamaru's match is coming. Reika winces as she turns her body so that her legs are hanging from the side of the bed, taking the weights from the bed and a scroll from her pouch.

"Where do you think you're going, Reika-chan?" Kirika asks with a stern glare, "You were running a pretty high fever earlier. Don't think I'll let you go," Kirika says to her with a frown.

"I'm fine," Reika insists as she stores her weights inside the scroll with the only fuuinjutsu she knows.

"Let me be the judge," Kirika says. Reika sighs in resignation. Kirika approaches her and scans her body with her chakra covered hand, "You're still running a fever, but it's better than earlier…" she sighs and ultimately says, "Fine. You can go. But no straining yourself, okay?"

"Yes, Kirika-senpai," Reika says. She leaves the infirmary and makes her way back to the waiting room, putting a hand against the wall lest she falls because of her still wonky balance. She frowns in confusion when she can see Shino and Kankurou, who are supposed to be fighting right now, "Hey, guys," Reika greets.

"Rei-chan! You okay? You just passed out there!" Naruto says.

"I'm fine. It was just a bad fever. Why are you still here, Shino?" Reika asks.

"He forfeited," Shino says. He actually seems rather annoyed. Reika raises an eyebrow as she eyes Kankurou. She walks back to her original place, against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her and one of her foot against the wall.

"So now it's Shikamaru's match?" Reika looks down from her position to the arena, finding Shikamaru standing against a wall in front of the Suna kunoichi. She opens her huge fan and swings it towards where Shikamaru is. Reika's eyes follow his movement, and she sighs when she sees him hiding in the shadows of the trees, "That coward…" Reika sighs, "He's always good at running away."

"Geez, where did that lazybones go to?!" Naruto asks.

"I can practically see how this is going to end…" Reika says.

"Really? How?" Naruto asks curiously.

"He's never going to let a girl win against him… so he'll try his best to best her before giving up," Reika says with a smirk.

"What? Why?" Naruto asks.

"Like you said, Naruto. He's lazy. Everything's troublesome for him, even moving. The thing is, losing to a woman is also troublesome to him," Reika says with a smirk, "It's always been fun deciphering what's running through Shikamaru's head."

Naruto looks at Reika and raises and eyebrow. _I don't think I've ever seen Rei-chan this excited about something…_ he shakes his head and yells, "Get it together! Come on, Shikamaru!"

 _Come on, Shikamaru. Show everyone what you're really made of,_ Reika thinks.

" _Ninpo: Kamaitachi_ (Ninja Art: Sickle Weasel)!" the Suna kunoichi then swings her fan towards Shikamaru, and huge wind blows towards him, slicing the trees around him. The wind is so powerful, that it courses through the arena. Suddenly from where Shikamaru is, his shadow is moving towards the Suna kunoichi. She flips backwards multiple times until his shadow stops in front of her. As his shadow retreats, she immediately uses her fan to mark the spot where his limit should be.

"Oh, that's good," Reika says. Naruto looks at her in confusion.

"I see… _Kagemane no Jutsu_! I've seen its true identity! Evidently there's a limit to the stretching and shortening, changing shape of the shadow… no matter how much you change the shape of the shadow, it can only span up to the size of your own shadow," she says, "Am I right?"

Shikamaru smirks at her with a chuckle, "You got it…" he's squatting against the far wall of the arena within the shadow of the wall. He looks up at the sky and then back at the Suna kunoichi. He then proceeds to cup both of his hands in front of him, the fingertips of his right hand meeting his left hand's, and he closes his eyes.

Reika gasps slightly when she sees the motion. She knows this habit of his, having been witnessing it since their first shogi match. She asks him afterwards what that sign means, and he just says that it clears his mind. _He must be pretty stumped if he does that_ …

"Rei-chan? Why are your cheeks red? Are you still feverish?" Naruto asks.

"Eh?" Reika takes her eyes off Shikamaru and looks at Naruto with wide eyes. She places a hand against her cheek and does feel that it's hot, but there's a nagging feeling in her gut that it's not because of her fever. Somehow, seeing Shikamaru doing that motion has always made her heart race. It's like seeing him giving her a lazy smirk. She couldn't control her heartbeat whenever he does that, "I'm fine, Naruto."

"What is he doing?" Naruto asks as he turns to look back at Shikamaru.

"…he's working up a strategy," Reika answers. This time, not only Naruto, but Shino and Kankurou are looking at her, "It's a habit of his whenever he's playing shogi. He does that whenever he's stuck on a move. He just has too many moves running through his head; it's his method of arranging his thoughts," Reika sighs in exasperation, "I hate it when he does that. It's always guaranteed that he'd win whenever he does that."

"Huh… I never knew Shikamaru could do that…" Naruto says.

"He's smarter than he looks, Naruto. He's a brilliant strategist who can plan out more than a hundred moves ahead perfectly," Reika says, "He could be the smartest kid in the Academy, but he just prefers sleeping over picking up his pencil in a written exam."

"Is he really that smart?" Shino asks.

"Asuma-sensei told me that his IQ exceeds 200 points," Reika says. Naruto, Shino and Kankurou look shocked. She turns back to look at Shikamaru and smirks when she sees that he's opened his eyes. _Now… let's see your move, Shikamaru._

"Looks like you've got some fighting spirit now…" the Suna kunoichi says as she opens her fan. She swings it powerfully towards Shikamaru, who runs towards the trees, "It's pointless to hide!"

"Does he really have a strategy…?" Naruto asks doubtfully.

Reika scoffs, "Even if he doesn't, he'll just give up soon."

"You seem to have little faith in Shikamaru, Reika," Shino says.

"It's not that I don't trust his abilities; I just know him too well," Reika says, "Most of all, I know he hates troublesome things."

The fight stretches into the afternoon, until the sun is right above their heads. Sometimes the somewhat peaceful air would be disturbed by the Suna kunoichi's jutsu, but Shikamaru has yet to make his move.

"How long are you going to run away?! Cut it out!" the Suna kunoichi says agitatedly.

She swings her huge fan once again, and a kunai is thrown towards her from the direction she attacked. She uses her fan to deflect another oncoming kunai from her right, and she turns to look at her front and his shadow is coming towards her again. She looks relaxed for a moment, but then she realizes that his shadow has moved farther from her mark, and she jumps backwards until the shadow stops in front of her. She looks up and sees Shikamaru standing within the shadow of the arena wall.

"You caught on well," Shikamaru praises. Reika notices that he's not wearing his usual grey vest.

"So you were dragging your feet to wait for the sun to set in order to make the surface of your own shadow larger by stretching the shadow line of the wall. As the sun goes down, the shadows lengthen. Isn't that so?" the Suna kunoichi asks.

"Temari! Above you!" Kankurou warns. The Suna kunoichi – Temari – looks up in horror.

"I see…" Shino says. Reika smirks as she sees a parachute made of Shikamaru's vest, his hitai-ate and a kunai as its weight. She sees where he's leading her, and she opens her mouth in realization.

"Oh, that's a pretty clever plan…" Reika says. Naruto looks at her in confusion.

"I won't let you escape!" Shikamaru says as his shadow keeps on chasing Temari until his shadow reaches its limit, "She dodged this one too, huh…?"

"She's quite the analytical one," Reika praises. _Which is the perfect kind of opponent for Shikamaru. If she's a brainless one, he'd be bored to tears_.

Temari places her open fan in front of her. Reika watches as Shikamaru's shadow return to him, and smirks when Temari hides behind her fan. She smirks when she sees Shikamaru's shadow enter the hole made in the first match, and exit at the other hole, right behind Temari.

"Not bad… not bad at all…" Reika praises.

"Huh?" Naruto looks down at Temari, who looks shocked as she freezes in her place, in confusion.

"At last… _Kagemane no Jutsu_ is a success!" Shikamaru says.

"What's going on…?" Kankurou asks.

Shikamaru smirks at Temari, "I'll let you take a look behind you…" he turns his head to look at his back, and Temari copies his movements. Her eyes widen when she sees their shadows connecting through the hole Naruto made in the first round, "You saw it too, didn't you? That hole is the hole Naruto burrowed and flew out of. So it's connected to the big hole in front of you."

"I didn't expect that… a shadow in a tunnel of a hole…" Temari says.

Shikamaru turns his head back to his front, "Right."

Reika smirks. _He was just giving her a sense of security by showing her the limits of his jutsu… she firmly believes in her measurement of his 'limit', so she stays within the mark she makes. But in reality, he's been trying to lure her towards those holes without attracting attention to them_ , "Impressive," Reika says, "As expected from Shikamaru."

"Yes! You did it!" Naruto cheers.

"But now he's going to give up," Reika says.

"What?!"

"Just watch."

Shikamaru steps forward, so does Temari. They stop until they're facing each other, and Shikamaru raises his hand. Temari grits her teeth as her hand is unwillingly lifted up. Only Reika and Chouji have seen what comes out of Shikamaru's mouth coming.

"Geez… I give up."

Reika snorts in amusement. Everyone in the arena are shocked at his words. Protests can be heard from the crowd.

"I told you he'd give up," Reika says as she smirks at Naruto's shocked face.

"W-What did you say?!" Temari asks.

"I've used too much chakra from _Kagemane no Jutsu_ in rapid succession. I can't hold it another 10 seconds. I've thought of the next 200 moves, but I'm out of time…" Shikamaru lowers his hand, and Temari does the same. Just as he says, his shadow pulls away from Temari's. He shrugs, "It's become such a pain. Doing one match is good…"

Genma smirks at Shikamaru, "Winner… Temari."


	21. Chapter 21

"Damn it…" Naruto is practically seething in his spot. Reika sighs as she closes her eyes and leans her head against the wall, "Why the hell did he give up- _ttebayo_?!" he slams his fist on top of the railing, "Is he an idiot?! This pisses me off!" he steps onto the railing and uses it as a leverage to jump into the arena.

Reika sighs, "What does he hope to accomplish with that…?"

"You won't stop them?" Shino asks.

"What for? Naruto's gonna just forget about it after he realizes whose match it is after this," Reika says without opening her eyes, coughing slightly.

But Sasuke doesn't arrive soon enough, and the crowd is getting antsy. Reika keeps furrowing her eyebrows every now and then at the noise. But if she's being completely honest, Reika is actually really worried. She hasn't seen her brother for a long time, and in a match against someone who made him train more insanely than usual, he's running late. _Nii-san… I thought you wanted to fight Gaara? Where the hell are you, then…?!_

Reika's eyes shot open and she snaps her head to the side. She heaves a sigh of relief.

Sasuke is standing in the middle of the arena with Kakashi behind him. He's no longer wearing his typical blue and white attire, but he's in all black, with bandages around his arms and legs. Reika huffs and flickers into the arena before him, arms crossed in front of her chest. As she lands, she's slightly unstable, but manages to stay on both feet.

Reika smirks in amusement at Sasuke's new hair, "You know… we kinda look alike, nii-san."

Sasuke mirrors her smirk, "We _are_ twins, Reika-hime."

"I'm cutting your bangs after this is all over," Reika promises.

"Hn."

They don't exchange greetings. They don't say how much they worry about each other, Reika about him not coming home for a long time and being late, and Sasuke about the bandage on her left ear and her unusual imbalance. They don't say how much they actually miss the other. They can even feel their friends' confused gaze on them, wondering why twins such as themselves would exchange such petty remarks after being apart for so long. But they look right into each other's eyes for 5 full seconds, and they understand.

"Well, I'm sorry we're late…" Kakashi says.

Reika rolls her eyes.

"Your name?" Genma asks.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke answers. The crowd goes wild, and Reika winces at the noise. _So loud…_ she whines in her head.

"Heh! You're pretty late!" Naruto comments, "I thought you weren't coming because you were scared to take me on! You made Rei-chan pretty worried, you know?"

"The first round… did you win?" Sasuke asks Naruto.

"Of course!"

"How about you, Reika-hime?" Sasuke asks his sister.

Reika smirks, "What do you think?"

Sasuke smirks and looks at Naruto, "Don't get too carried away, loser."

"Well, I know it's somewhat rude to be showing up all flashy like this… but was Sasuke… disqualified?" Kakashi asks as he rubs the back of his head with a smile. Naruto, Reika and Shikamaru turn to look at Genma.

"So your habit of tardiness rubbed off on him? Geez…" Genma says.

"So…?"

"It's okay. Sasuke's match has been postponed anyway. Your arrival was barely in time, but he hasn't been disqualified," Genma explains.

Kakashi chuckles, "That's a relief!" he turns to look at Sasuke and finds him glaring at Gaara, who is standing in the waiting room, glaring down at him. Reika watches their exchange in silence.

"Don't lose to a guy like that!" Naruto says.

"Yeah…"

"Sasuke! I… want to fight you too!" Naruto exclaims. Sasuke nods at him.

Shikamaru places a hand on Reika's shoulder, balancing her, "Let's get out of here."

"Wait," Reika says. She approaches her brother and puts her right hand on his left shoulder, trying to catch his eyes. She pointedly presses on the bruise on his shoulder, and he nods at her, signaling that it's fine, "Don't die," she says firmly.

Sasuke nods. He wants to tell his sister to just get some rest, because he can tell that she's unwell, but at the same time, he wants her to watch his match. He missed hers, and she missed his first one in the preliminary. Ultimately, he says, "Watch me, Reika-hime."

Reika smiles at him, "You got it," Reika turns to look at Kakashi and glares at him, "You have a _lot_ to answer to, sensei."

Kakashi smiles and rubs the back of his head, "Yes, yes, I'm sorry…"

"Gaara, come down here!" Genma says.

Shikamaru puts his arm around Reika's shoulders, firmly gripping her shoulder to keep her balanced. Reika's eyes widen slightly at his gesture, "Naruto! Let's go up!" Shikamaru says. Reika wraps her arm around Shikamaru's torso as they walk towards the stairs.

"Be careful with my sister, Shikamaru," Sasuke says from behind them.

"You don't need to tell me that," Shikamaru says, "When we go up, we'll leisurely take the stairs. It'll be better for you too, right?" Shikamaru asks with Reika in his arm with a smile, Naruto following them behind.

Reika rolls her eyes as she chuckles, "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say."

Because Shikamaru is walking with Reika, whose head has started to pound again, they're considerably slower than Naruto. The blond who was behind them is now walking past them.

"Hey, hurry up- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says, "Rei-chan's getting worse, isn't she?!" Naruto asks in panic.

Shikamaru sighs, "Nothing good's gonna happen in your life if you panic."

Naruto gets closer to the top of the stairs, but he stops and looks up.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Reika asks. Shikamaru and Reika arrive at the same step as Naruto, and follows his line of sight. From their spot, they can see the long hallway leading to the waiting room. They see Gaara walking towards the stairs that lead to the arena where they are, and in the middle of the hall stands two shinobis, standing in Gaara's way.

Reika can't really hear what they're saying, with her fever, the state of her left ear, and her generally bad hearing, but her eyes widen when she sees Gaara's gourd shake in his back. _What is he going to do…?_ Reika wonders. She flinches when she sees Gaara's murderous eyes, "This is bad…" she says under her breath.

Her grip on Shikamaru's torso tighten when sand comes out of Gaara's gourd, burying one of the shinobis until he disperses without a trace. _So… this is how Lee practically lost his arm and leg…_ The other shinobi – from Kusa, according to his hitai-ate – runs towards them, away from Gaara. But his sand is so much faster and it catches him by the lower half of his body, dragging him towards Gaara.

"H-Help!" he exclaims in fear. Reika flinches. As much as she'd like to help him, Reika honestly thinks she can't. Reika gulps when the Kusa shinobi's yell resonate through the hallway. She can hear footsteps coming towards them, and for once in a long while, she's honestly terrified. Not only for her life, but also for her brother's. Gaara walks out of the dark hallway towards the stairs, stopping on top of it behind Naruto, Reika, and Shikamaru.

Reika's eyes widen when she's suddenly facing Gaara, Naruto, and Shikamaru, sand holding her by the neck and pinning her against a wall. She struggles to breathe and claws at the sand against her neck, but she can do nothing to push it away.

"Reika!"

"Rei-chan!"

"If I kill you… he would have more reason to fight me seriously," Gaara says.

"…why?"

"Why…? Because you're precious to him," Gaara says, no expression on his face.

Even as she chokes, Reika smirks, "…don't… waste your breath… he won't care."

"What?" Shikamaru and Naruto's eyes are wide at her remark.

"Power… is more precious… to him…" Gaara's eyes widen at the pain and loneliness he sees in her onyx eyes, "Because he… has to kill _him_."

 _Who…?_ Naruto wonders. Suddenly Gaara's sand retreats, and Reika falls to the ground, gasping for air and coughing violently. Naruto and Shikamaru runs to her side.

"Mother… wants your blood too," Gaara says. Reika eyes him warily, a hand against her neck that now has a red hand-like mark, "I'll kill you after I'm finished with him," and he walks away.

"Rei-chan… what were you talking about?" Naruto asks.

Reika coughs, and says in a raspy voice, "…forget about it," _Because I don't like the idea of nii-san killing nii-sama._

"If those two in front of us hadn't been there, we probably would've been killed… not to mention Reika almost got killed…" Shikamaru says, "This is the first time I've seen anyone kill people without hesitation like that…"

Reika leans against the wall, panting, "…nii-san."

xXx

Sasuke frowns as Gaara flinches and holds his head in his hand.

"Please don't get so mad…" Gaara says, seemingly thinking out loud, "Mother…" he opens his eyes and looks at Sasuke with a crazed look.

Sasuke's eyebrows raise. _What's he talking about…?_

"Earlier… earlier I had you suck awful-tasting blood… I'm sorry… I almost got to the girl, but I promise we'll get to her later… after we're finished with her brother," Gaara says.

Sasuke's eyes widen in anger. _Reika-hime… he got his hands on Reika-hime!_

"This time it'll likely… taste good."

xXx

"Hey…" Shikamaru says. Reika listens as she leans against the wall, but it's like being underwater; she can hear, but it feels so far away, "Do you remember… what he said yesterday?" Shikamaru asks Naruto.

"Yesterday…?" Reika asks,

"He… was going to kill Lee in his hospital bed yesterday. Naruto, Guy-sensei, and I managed to stop him, but…" Shikamaru says. Reika's eyes widen, "He said he was going to kill all of us, without fail. But he didn't do it. It was the perfect opportunity, but… he didn't even see us. Instead, he attacked Reika who wasn't even there yesterday."

"We're… unsatisfactory for him," Naruto says as he squeezes his right hand in a fist punching his left palm.

"Right now, the only one who can make him feel anything…"

"…is only Sasuke!"

Reika frowns as she sees Naruto shaking in his seat. She grimaces as her head pounds.

Naruto stands up from his seat, "Shikamaru… Rei-chan… We need to go over to where Kakashi-sensei is right now!"

"What are you planning to do?" Shikamaru asks. Naruto doesn't seem to be listening to him and runs towards the audience seat, "Hey, Naruto!" Shikamaru calls out, but he doesn't hear. He approaches Reika, "Can you get up?" he asks. Reika nods as she painfully pulls herself up. The second she pulls away from the wall, though, she falls to her side, "Reika!" Shikamaru catches her in his arms before she hits the ground. He curses when he realizes that she can barely hold her consciousness and takes her in his arms bridal style, running after Naruto.

xXx

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yells as he managed to approach his sensei. Kakashi, Guy, Lee, Chouji, Ino, and Sakura turn to look at him.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee greets with a smile.

Naruto turns back and frowns in frustration, "Where the hell are they- _ttebayo_?!"

"Huh? What do you want?" Kakashi asks. His eye widens when he sees Shikamaru approaching them with Reika in his arms. The most alarming part of it is actually the red marks around her neck. _So Gaara was telling the truth… he really did almost kill Reika._

"Geez, pay attention to your surroundings, won't you, Naruto?" Shikamaru complains.

"Shikamaru… I'm fine now; put me down," Reika requests as she puts a hand against Shikamaru's shoulder.

"You sure?" Shikamaru asks. Reika nods and Shikamaru helps her down.

Reika sighs in relief when her feet are steadier and her head doesn't pound as bad as before. Maybe it was just the adrenaline from the immense fear she felt that made her feel worse earlier. She sits down on the topmost stair, coughing slightly, as she makes a modified ox and tiger seal and closes her eyes as she heals the inside of her ear carefully. She sighs in relief when she realizes that the damage isn't all that bad, and she can hear fine now. She takes the bandage on her left ear off, and manages to stand up straight.

"Sensei! Please stop this match right away!" Naruto pleads, "That guy is totally different from us- _ttebayo_! He's not normal- _ttebayo_!"

"Naruto… what are you saying?" Ino asks.

"He lives to kill people. In any case… if this continues, Sasuke will die!" Naruto exclaims. Reika flinches at his words. She didn't say anything about that because she doesn't even want to think about the possibility of Sasuke dying, "Look! He almost killed Rei-chan earlier- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says. Reika touches her neck and hisses when it stings from sand burn. Her hand glows green again as she heals her neck. She coughs again when she's done.

Sasuke runs towards the sand dome, throwing three kunais at it. But the sand dome seem to be impenetrable. Reika activates her Sharingan and follows Sasuke's movements as he appears in midair, approaching the sand dome and avoiding the spikes it produces as he punches the dome. She's smirking when she realizes that he has gotten faster. On the way to the audience seat, she can clearly feel Sasuke moving faster, but she wants to see it with her own eyes. He seems to be thinking about his next move, and he unbuttons the black restraints he has on his left arm.

"Sensei… what did you mean when you said that you didn't get here late for nothing?" Sakura asks. Kakashi turns to look at her.

"Hmm… you really wanna know?"

"Like I said, this isn't the time to be talking about that- _ttebayo_!" Naruto yells.

"Shut up and watch him," Kakashi says firmly. Reika eyes Kakashi, and she finds him looking at Sasuke with a proud look, "Because you're in for a surprise."

Sasuke back flips multiple times and jumps until he's standing on the wall of the arena. He makes a couple of hand seals and holds his left hand with his right in between his legs. Reika flinches at the spike of chakra from Sasuke, specifically from his left hand.

"D-Don't tell me that…" Guy starts.

"The reason I decided to train Sasuke was because he was like me," Kakashi explains.

Reika frowns. _Like Kakashi-sensei? In what way…?_ She turns to look at Sasuke and finds his left hand covered in bluish white chakra, emitting chirping sound like a flock of birds, "So… his secondary affinity is lightning," Reika says with a cough. Kakashi nods.

Sasuke runs down the wall, leaving a dent on the wall that is nearest to his left hand.

"A physical activation?!" Guy asks, "I see… that's why he went through the physical training and increased his speed significantly…"

"Amazing… the chakra is clearly visible to the naked eye… what in the world is happening?" Sakura wonders.

"W-What the heck is that- _ttebayo_?!" Naruto asks.

"What a sound! What is that technique?" Sakura asks.

"That's just a jab…" Guy starts, "However, it is the one used by Konoha's number one technician. That's the only original technique of the Copy Ninja, Kakashi," Reika's eyes widen at that, "It's the special technique used only for assassinations. Its secret is in the speed of the jab, also the physical aptitude that gives forth a gigantic chakra, the ability of the chakra to focus solely on the target, and moreover the speed of the jab makes a unique sound, similar to the rumbling of a thousand birds. That's why that technique is called _Chidori_ (One Thousand Birds)."

Reika turns back to look at the arena, and she gasps when she sees that Sasuke's left hand manages to penetrate the sand dome.

" _Chidori…_ also known as _Raikiri_ (Lightning Blade)," Guy says.

" _Raikiri_?" Sakura asks.

" _Raikiri_ is another name for the jutsu derived from Kakashi's ability to cut through lightning using that technique," Guy says.

Reika raises an eyebrow. _Cut through lightning, really? But then again, this is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about…_

"The real name of that jutsu is _Chidori_. The secret is the speed of his jab that surpasses any human limitations and the intensity of the chakra on his arm. That arm turns virtually into the equivalent of the swing of a sword that cuts through everything," Guy explains. He then eyes Kakashi, "But what a reckless technique…"

"That's not for you to say…" Kakashi eyes Guy incredulously, "Right, Lee-kun?" he asks Lee with a smile.

"It's beyond my scope of comprehension, but… what an amazing technique!" Sakura exclaims.

Reika watches the match with bated breath. Sure, Sasuke managed to penetrate the dome, but what if he doesn't hit Gaara? She jumps when she hears a terrified yell, coming from within the dome.

"Blood… my blood is…!"

Reika's eyes widen as she bites her lower lip. _Nii-san managed to get him. But with such a mentally unstable opponent… this is not looking good_. Reika can see Sasuke's eyes widening as he tries to pull his arm out of the dome. He reactivates his _Chidori_ , and Reika winces as Gaara yells out in pain. Sasuke manages to pull away from the dome, but a claw made out of sand follows him.

"What the hell is that…?" Reika wonders. Reika freezes when she can clearly feel Sasuke's fear. She inhales sharply when the dome starts to crack. It disperses into sand and Gaara appears from within. Reika can see that his left shoulder is bleeding, but she can't see the weird sandy arm she saw earlier. He looks positively murderous, and Reika finds herself once again afraid for her brother's life. _I have… to protect him…_

All of a sudden Reika can see the people around her start to fall asleep. She sees white feathers falling from the sky, but with her Sharingan on, she can clearly see that it's genjutsu. She concentrates some chakra into her eyes and her Sharingan spins as the feathers disappear. She sees Guy, Kakashi, and Sakura releasing themselves from the genjutsu.

She turns to look at Naruto and Shikamaru, and they're lying on the floor. Reika can see that Naruto is clearly affected by the genjutsu, but Shikamaru's chakra color is normal and undisturbed. She rolls her eyes when she realizes that her best friend is just playing dead. She approaches him and whispers, "You can play dead… just stay safe," and Shikamaru actually grunts in response.

Her head snaps to where the Hokage and Kazekage are when she hears an explosion coming from there. She stands up and walks towards Kakashi and Guy as she watches ANBU officers jumping towards the Kage stand. She gasps when she sees the Kazekage holding a kunai against the Hokage's throat, jumping from the wall of smoke towards the rooftop. She sees four people surrounding them, and suddenly she sees dark purple chakra forming a four-pointed barrier with the Hokage and Kazekage right in the middle of it.

"Barrier ninjutsu, huh?" Guy says.

"To think that they could outwit ANBU…" Kakashi says, "They're not just ordinary…"

"That chakra…" Reika grits her teeth as she recognizes the chakra color. There is no way she'll forget the color of the snake's chakra. Kakashi, Guy, and Sakura turn to look at her, "Orochimaru!"

Kakashi and Guy run down the stairs before someone with an ANBU mask lands in front of them, "What are you doing?! Hokage-sama is in danger!" Guy reprimands him.

Reika's eyes widen when she sees the chakra color of this ANBU. She also recognizes this one, but she can't put her finger to it. She just knows that this one is definitely not on their side, "He's not ANBU!" Reika growls as she throws a kunai at him. She clicks her tongue when he deflects it with his bare hands. She walks down until she's on the same step as where Sakura is as four Oto ninjas join the 'ANBU'.

"What a nuisance…" Kakashi complains.

"To think that the enemy was masquerading as our ANBU… so it was also that guy who used genjutsu!" Guy says.

"Yeah… there's no mistake," Kakashi confirms.

 _Where did I see this chakra color…? Damn it, why don't I ever code useful information?!_ Reika mentally berates herself. Her eyes widen as she sees Temari and Kankurou trying to console Gaara in the middle of the arena. Suddenly their sensei appears before them, and Gaara seems to be holding his head in pain. Genma appears before Sasuke, facing the Sand Jounin. She clicks her tongue when she sees the three Suna Genin running away from the arena, and Sasuke looking like he's about to chase them.

"Kakashi-sensei… Guy-sensei… I think Sasuke-nii-san is about to chase Gaara and his teammates down," Reika says, "Please let me protect him!" Reika pleads. Kakashi and Guy look at her from the corner of their eyes.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Reika," Guy says.

"Why?!"

"Because Orochimaru is also after you," Kakashi says. Reika's eyes widen as she looks at Kakashi, "Just because he failed in the Forest of Death, doesn't mean he'll stop. His real aim is you _and_ Sasuke. If you go with your brother, you'll be playing right into Orochimaru's hands."

"But if I don't go with him, who knows what Gaara will do to him!" Reika argues, "Naruto wasn't kidding about him being dangerous! Kakashi-sensei, I can't promise that I'll be able to stop him, but at least let me protect him!"

Kakashi looks straight into Reika's eyes and finds that there is just no talking her out of it. He sighs as he remembers that Reika is an Uchiha, which means she possesses the trait of the clan he knows all too well, "…fine. I trust you, Reika. I'll have a squad back you up later," Kakashi says. Reika nods and disappears with a _Shunshin_ , reappearing beside her twin.

"Don't even think about going after him alone. Three against one, especially when one of the three is mentally unstable, is a recipe for suicide," Reika says to Sasuke.

"Reika-hime…" Sasuke bites his lower lip as he remembers what Gaara said before their match started, "Did he hurt you?"

Reika runs a fingertip against her neck, which Sasuke's eyes follow, "…I'm fine now," Reika frowns as she sees Sasuke gritting his teeth in anger, "You're going after him, aren't you? You're not going anywhere without me."

"But–!"

"That's not a request, Sasuke-nii-san!" Reika says firmly. Sasuke looks into her eyes and finds that there's nothing he can say to change her mind. He looks away quickly and clicks his tongue.

"Tch… have it your way."

"Oh, I will."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Thanks to Riomi-senpai for your sweet review. You made my day! I promise I'll keep writing, and this fic will not be the last you'll see of me. I hope I won't disappoint.**

 **Thanks a lot for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy this next one~**

* * *

Reika and Sasuke are running through the woods until they stop at the same time. Sasuke leans down and takes some dirt off the ground, and tilts his palm. He smirks when he sees sand pouring out of the ground.

"…let's go," Sasuke says.

"…don't do anything stupid," Reika says. Sasuke doesn't seem to be listening to her as he continues to run. Reika rolls her eyes and follows him. They jump onto tree branches and make their way towards the Suna shinobis.

 _I have a bad feeling about this… there's just no way I can stop him from fighting Gaara. Not when he's so hell-bent on defeating him. Not to mention he's trained for a whole month just for this fight. I can't take that away from him…_ Reika thinks. _I wonder if the village is safe. Hokage-sama was held hostage by Orochimaru…_

"Reika-hime…" Reika turns to look at Sasuke when he calls, "Are you… okay?"

"…what does that mean?"

"Your hand was kinda hot when you touched me before the match," Sasuke says, "Not to mention you were so unstable that Shikamaru had to help you walk."

"Ah… that…" Reika sighs, "Is this really the time and place to talk about this, though?"

"Humor me."

Reika huffs, "Fine. I was slightly unbalanced because my opponent was that Oto ninja with the hunchback. He got my left ear and messed up my balance. My hand was hot because I just found out earlier this morning that I had a pretty bad fever. There."

"…but you fought anyway?"

"Yeah. I can't exactly back out when I'm so close to the end, now, can I?" Reika says with a shrug.

"…you're okay now, though?"

"I'm fine."

"Good."

Reika doesn't say it or show it in her face, but it feels really good to have Sasuke worrying over her.

"You seem to be doing okay," Reika says, "I saw your speed. You were fast."

"Hmph. Still not as fast as you," Sasuke smirks.

Reika shrugs, "Eh. You're getting there. There's no way but up when it comes to speed."

"I still have to be as fast as you, if not faster," Sasuke says.

"You'll catch up in no time," Reika says. Reika narrows her eyes and looks at her back when she feels a presence from behind them. _It could be… Kakashi-sensei's back up squad._

"We're being followed," Sasuke says.

"Could be friendly. Kakashi-sensei said he'll send back up for me."

"For you?" Sasuke asks with a frown.

Reika smirks at her brother, "To help me stop you."

Sasuke rolls his eyes, but then his eyes widen when they pass a branch. Reika bites her lower lip when she realizes their mistake. They've agitated a trip wire that is connected to an explosion tag. They jump to different direction as the branch below them blows up, but then the branch they each land on also has trip wires, so they also blow up. Reika lands on the ground, looking around her and letting out a breath of relief when she can't find any traps on land. She looks back up and gasps.

"Nii-san!" Reika shouts as she sees Sasuke landing on another trip wire. He jumps and lands against a tree branch, hanging upside down. Reika sighs in relief.

"That was close," Sasuke says. Reika makes her way up to a branch and waits until Sasuke lands beside her before they continue their pursuit.

xXx

Reika smirks when they see the three Suna shinobis stopping after her kunai stabs the tree they're standing on.

"We finally caught up," Sasuke says.

"This is as far as you guys go," Reika says.

"Damn it!" Kankurou curses.

"Uchiha twins…!" Temari says.

"We won't let you get away now," Sasuke says with a kunai in his hand.

"You can't just leave when your village is ransacking ours," Reika says.

"Heh! That's fine," Kankurou says.

Temari suddenly jumps and says, "Kankurou! Take Gaara and go quickly!" she throws three kunais at the twins and they dodge them easily. She lands on a tree branch, "Leave them to me."

"But, Temari…! No matter how you look at it, you can't beat them alone!" Kankurou protests.

"Leave me be! This is an important mission for Sunagakure! Make Gaara the first priority!" Temari insists.

 _This dynamic… is familiar,_ Reika thinks. She smirks when she works out their relationship.

"Listen to your sibling, Temari," Reika says. Kankurou and Temari's eyes widen, and Sasuke eyes her, "He's saying sensible things."

"H-How do you…?"

"Know your relationship? Easy. It's because I, myself, have siblings I'd like to protect," Reika smirks.

Temari smirks, "So you're not just a pretty face, huh?" she turns to Kankurou, "Leave, Kankurou. I'll be fine. Besides, he's quite my type of a guy…"

"Sorry, sister. Not gonna happen," Reika glares at the Suna kunoichi.

"Go, Kankurou!"

Kankurou reluctantly complies, but Sasuke throws his kunai at his retreating back. The twins jump to go after him, but Temari stands in their way.

"Eat this!" Temari shouts as she swings her fan powerfully. Sasuke and Reika are thrown back towards a tree, but they manage to land safely.

"Nii-san! Leave her to me," Reika says, "You go and chase Kankurou down. I'll catch up with you later."

"…fine. Be careful," Sasuke says as he pursues Kankurou.

"I won't let you get away!" Temari says as she turns to Sasuke. Reika throws her senbons at Temari's back before she can use her fan. Temari groans and glares at Reika when they scrape the back of her neck.

"I'm your opponent," Reika says with a smirk. She sighs in relief when she sees Sasuke leaving.

 _Now… what should I do? She's a wind user, which is the most troublesome thing in the world… I need to stop her from using that damn fan._

Reika jumps and throws three kunais at her, which she deflects with her wind. Temari uses the _Kamaitachi_ attack at Reika, but she manages to avoid it. Reika throws more kunais at her, and she swings her fan powerfully. Reika is thrown against a tree, and she hides behind it. She sees the wind and finds that it generates sand.

Reika sighs in irritation. She's useless against a wind user if she keeps using shurikenjutsu. _As I thought, I should use ninjutsu…_ Reika appears before Temari and makes hand seals, " _Katon: Housenka no Jutsu_!" balls of fire chase Temari down as she back flips. Reika throws her fire senbons at her while she's midair, and one of them got her arm. Temari lands on the ground taking the burning senbon out of her arm, surrounded by a ring of fire.

Reika looks down from her position from atop a tree branch. _I only have one chance in this…_ she makes hand seals and takes a deep breath as she exhales a burst of fire at Temari. She clicks her tongue when Temari uses her _Kamaitachi_ once again. Reika flips backwards and lands on a tree branch, but grits her teeth when she lands on slippery sand.

 _Damn it! That's what the sands are for!_ Reika immediately casts _Kawarimi no Jutsu_ as she slips on the sand. She flickers to a back of a tree when Temari jumps and throws three kunais at her substitution. Reika avoids looking at her own body falling. Temari looks satisfied at her attack, and her eyes widen in shock when she realizes that she only attacked a substitute. The log also has a flash explosion tag, which blows up and throws Temari back.

Reika appears before Temari, coughing slightly, "Sorry, I can't deal with you forever," Reika says, "I have a brother to protect. I'm sure you understand how that feels," Reika says. Temari clicks her tongue as she painfully pulls herself up. Reika smirks, "You're a formidable opponent. I wouldn't mind fighting you again one day."

Reika closes her eyes and concentrates. She reopens her eyes and jumps towards a tree branch, ready to go after her brother.

xXx

Reika has finally caught up to Kankurou and her brother, standing behind Kankurou.

"Don't run away like that," Sasuke says.

"You're not going anywhere," Reika says. Kankurou turns to look at her in shock, and clicks his tongue.

"Tch. Fine. I'll be your opponent this time."

"Wait!"

Reika sighs in irritation. _Man, she's a stubborn one_ , Reika thinks as she jumps to stand beside her brother.

"You okay?" Sasuke asks her.

Reika coughs as she runs the back of her hand to her neck to subtly check her temperature. She clicks her tongue, "Just a little bit chakra deprived, but I'll be fine," _If I don't pass out from the fever, that is._

"Temari!" Kankurou exclaims as his sister lands beside him, "I assumed you'd been done by her. So you're okay?"

Temari pants, "Yeah… somehow… but… it didn't turn out to be much of a delay."

"No, it's time necessary for Gaara's recovery. Besides, it'll lead to their consumption of chakra," Kankurou says. He puts an unconscious Gaara on the branch.

"Go, Kankurou! I'll take them…"

Kankurou doesn't listen to Temari and steps forward, putting his wrapped puppet beside him, "Temari, you take Gaara and go on ahead."

"What?"

"You're at your limit…" Kankurou smirks at his sister, "I don't need a hindrance."

"But…!"

"Go!" Temari looks down at Gaara and back up to Kankurou, "Hurry up and go!"

She sighs and says, "Okay…" and takes Gaara.

"It can't be helped… I'll be your opponent!" Kankurou says.

"Reika-hime, go after her," Sasuke says.

"What did you say?" Reika asks her brother incredulously.

"You're chakra deprived. You won't be able to do much here. Catch them before they get away!" Sasuke says.

Reika bites her lower lip in frustration. She's supposed to stop him from going after Gaara, but now he's telling her to chase him down. _What should I do…?_

"No," Reika and Sasuke turn to look at the source of the new voice with wide eyes, "Your opponent is me."

"Shino?!" Reika calls out.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke asks him.

Shino points at Sasuke, "I put a female beetle on you before you left the arena," Reika's eyes widen when the small beetle flies over to Shino's outstretched finger, "The females have almost no smell. Only a male can sniff out the subtle smell of the female. Though the male itself has a strong smell. Uchiha Sasuke. You chase after Gaara. Because the battle between you and him hasn't been settled yet. I'll fight him, because originally I was his opponent. Leave this to me here! Go!"

Sasuke smirks at Shino, "You're very confident. But are you going to be okay?"

"No need to worry," Shino says, "I'll go back you guys up if I have just ten minutes."

"Hmph. By then, I'll be done too," Sasuke says confidently as he jumps away.

"Be careful, Shino," Reika says.

"Yeah," Shino says as Reika leaves to catch up to her brother.

xXx

Reika and Sasuke stop at a branch behind Temari and Gaara, who has regained consciousness. Reika widens her eyes when Gaara throws Temari aside until she slams against a tree.

"I don't know what you Suna bastards are scheming… but _I'll_ stop you!" Sasuke says. Gaara glares at him as his face starts to crack, "And… I'll ascertain your true identity!" Sasuke promises. Reika looks at Gaara weirdly as he holds his head and yells in pain.

"Gaara!" Temari calls out in worry.

"He's in pain…" Reika says.

"Reika-hime," Reika turns to look at Sasuke, "You sit this one out. Get some rest before you fall over."

Reika grits her teeth, but ultimately nods, "I understand."

"Stop, Gaara! Have you forgotten the operation?!" Temari asks in panic.

"You who are strong… you who are called Uchiha… you who have friends… you who have a purpose… you who are… like me!" Gaara looks at Sasuke with a murderous look, and Reika can't shake her worry off, "By killing you… I will exist in this world as the one who destroyed all of that… I can truly experience 'life'. You are… my…" Gaara doesn't finish his sentence as he yells out in pain and falls to his knees.

Reika flinches in fear as Gaara suddenly grows a monstrous arm, the same arm that came out of the dome earlier in the match. She looks on in horror as half of Gaara's face turns into a monster's. From her spot, she can see Temari closing her eyes in fear. _Even Temari's afraid of him…_ Reika thinks. She gasps when Gaara opens his eyes, the monster half of it showing a yellow eye.

"Now… let me feel it!"

Reika can see Sasuke shaking from her spot. She gasps in fear when Gaara jumps towards Sasuke, his claw open. Reika jumps off the branch and onto another as Gaara's monster arm falls on the branch, destroying it. Reika closes her eyes and opens them to look at where Sasuke is. She sighs in temporary relief when she sees that he seems fine. But then he holds his left shoulder, and Reika's eyes widen in worry.

 _This is bad… Kakashi-sensei… I hope your back up will come soon… there's not much I can do here,_ Reika thinks. Reika flinches as Gaara's arm attacks the tree Sasuke sits on. Reika peeks from the back of the tree she's on, and her eyes widen as the arm attacks her tree. She jumps backwards and lands on another tree branch, hiding behind its bark.

"What is he…?" Reika wonders.

"Are you scared of me, Uchiha Sasuke?! Of my existence?!" Gaara asks, "Come out… Uchiha Sasuke!"

Reika's breathing picks up as she sees Gaara's monster eye shining. Her body goes cold at Gaara's next words.

"You… are my… prey!"


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: This episode marks the end of the Konoha Crush arc! Rejoice, people, because in the next episode, the Search for Tsunade arc will start! Haha.**

 **After re-reading the story as a whole, I realize that Reika is quite the Mary-Sue. But to be honest with you guys, I don't see anything wrong with a Mary-Sue OC. I apologize in advance if people don't like it, but I won't change Reika. As I've said before in a previous A/N, I never really intended this fic to be posted, and this fic was written purely to satisfy my selfish desires. But having people appreciate it really makes me happy.**

 **Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

Sasuke clicks his tongue and makes a decision. He jumps out of his hiding place and shows himself in front of Gaara.

"There you are!" Gaara says as he throws his monster arm towards Sasuke. Reika gasps as his claw stabs Sasuke's body, and lets out a breath when his body is replaced by a log. Reika throws two explosive kunais at Gaara, which stab his monster arm, as Sasuke makes an appearance from behind Gaara.

"I'm here!"

Sasuke pulls out thee kunais in each hands, and throws them towards Gaara. He clicks his tongue when his kunais are all stabbing Gaara's monster arm, which doesn't seem to hurt him.

"Nii-san, get out of there!" Reika warns. Sasuke lands on a tree branch a distance away from Gaara and Reika makes a hand seal. She frowns when nothing happens, and her eyes widen when she sees the kunais, hers and Sasuke's, being absorbed into his arm.

"I'm returning them to you!" Gaara says. Reika's eyes widen. True to his words, the monster arm spits out all the kunais Sasuke threw, this time it's covered in bright red chakra. Some of them hit a tree branch, while the others run its course towards Sasuke, who turns out to be a clone. Gaara turns back to look at where Reika is and 'returns' her explosive kunais, the explosive tags already lit up. Her eyes widen in panic and she squeezes her eyes shut to flicker to a tree near to where Sasuke is before they explode. She reappears on a tree branch as she pants and coughs.

"Damn it!" Reika curses as she looks up at where Gaara is from her position on a lower tree branch.

"Uchiha… Sasuke… why won't you come at me?!" Gaara asks before he clutches his head in pain. He falls to his knees, "Why… do you flee?! There's no escape! I won't let you escape! Uchiha Sasuke!" Gaara throws his monster arm and wipes a couple of trees clear. He jumps and wipes more trees with a maniacal laugh.

"What the hell is he…?" Reika wonders.

"Are you afraid of me?" Gaara asks as he looks around, "Uchiha Sasuke! Are you afraid? Are you afraid of my existence?!"

 _Why is he so fixated on nii-san? He threatened me mainly because I'm his sister… what did nii-san do to him?_ Reika wonders.

"Your hatred and intent to kill… have they given way to fear?" Gaara asks, "Is that the extent of your existence?! Fight me… and confirm it! Your value! Your existence! Experience it! If you want an answer… come at me!"

Reika's eyes widen. _Hatred… intent to kill… he's associating those two characteristics with his existence… is that why he kills people? To reaffirm his existence? And is that why he's after nii-san? Because he thinks nii-san is the same as him?_ Reika turns to look to her right to see Sasuke sitting on a branch, seemingly deep in thought. Her eyes widen when he stands up.

"Nii-san…"

Reika knows what – or who – he's thinking about. When it comes to hatred and intent to kill… Sasuke only has it towards one person; their oldest brother, Uchiha Itachi. The person who annihilated their entire clan, leaving only his younger siblings behind. The person who made Sasuke think that his existence in life is solely to kill him and avenge their clan. The person who makes Reika feel alone, even when she has Sasuke.

Reika looks down to her feet. She's no match for Itachi. She will never say it, but she is jealous of Itachi and the relationship he had with Sasuke. She wants to be needed by Sasuke, to be useful to her brother – that's the sole reason why Reika wants to grow stronger –, but when it comes to Itachi, Sasuke turns a blind eye on everything. He forgets that he has a twin sister who loves him; he only remembers that he has to kill Itachi. When it comes to Itachi, Reika doesn't exist in the equation.

Don't get her wrong; Reika _loves_ Itachi. He's her brother, and he could possibly be the kindest soul she has ever encountered. Which is why she never believed that he killed the whole clan just to measure his strength or that he killed Shisui, like what Sasuke told her. She also is never in favor of Sasuke killing him. She just wishes she has the relationship he had with Sasuke, and the relationship Sasuke had with him. She bears a slight resentment towards him for the person her twin brother becomes.

From the corner of her eye, Reika can see the bluish-white chakra from Sasuke's _Chidori_.

Gaara chuckles, "Now, let me have some fun… Uchiha Sasuke!"

"I'll finish it in one blow!" Sasuke promises.

Both Gaara and Sasuke jump from their spots toward each other. Reika's eyes widen when Sasuke's _Chidori_ slices through Gaara's monster arm, to which Gaara yells out in pain. Sasuke lands on a tree branch, and Gaara falls onto another, close to where Reika is. Reika's whole body goes stiff when she hears Gaara laughing hysterically.

"I see! That's what it was!" Gaara says as he stands up.

"No way…" Reika says under her breath, "He's still standing?"

"I just realized the reason… why it's so fun!" Reika's blood goes cold. Gaara squeezes his monster arm, "This pain… to take down an opponent who wounded me… and thoroughly destroy him…! _That_ will make me truly feel alive!"

Reika's eyes widen as Gaara grows a tail. Gaara uses his hand as a leverage to catapult him towards Sasuke. Reika activates her Sharingan as Gaara speeds towards Sasuke. Sasuke jumps as Gaara's body destroys the tree branch he stood on. Gaara uses his claw to stop himself and catapult towards Sasuke once again. Sasuke uses his fireball jutsu towards Gaara.

"What the hell…?" Reika's eyes widen when Gaara is unharmed. Reika's eyes widen in fear as Sasuke seems to freeze in his spot, "Nii-san!"

"Die!"

Sasuke crosses his arms in front of his face to protect himself from the impact of Gaara's hand, but his eyes widen when Reika appears before him. Reika glares at Gaara with a kunai ready in her hand. Reika can swear that she saw Gaara's eyes widen when he realizes Reika has materialized in front of him. Gaara growls and slaps Reika out of his way with his monster arm.

"Reika-hime!" Sasuke yells out when Gaara's claws hit Reika and throws her to where Temari is, "Bastard…!" Sasuke turns but then Gaara's hand hits him and he's thrown back until he stops against a tree, leaving a huge crater behind him.

Reika grunts when she tries to straighten up, but yells out in pain when she does. She looks to her side and clicks her tongue when she sees four large bleeding gashes running down her left side, one on her arm, one on her torso, and two on her legs. She is also forced to close her left eye as blood gushes from the left side of her head, running down her face. His claw must've grazed her head, but thankfully it's not a deep gash. The gashes on her leg seem to have torn a muscle or two, and the one on her arm has definitely hit a nerve; she can even see her bone. She can barely move any of her left limbs. The gash on her torso is bleeding quite heavily, and Reika can already feel the effects of blood loss.

"Don't move!" Temari says from beside her. She takes out a box of medicine from her pouch and applies it on Reika's more shallow wounds. Reika groans in pain when Temari runs her fingers on her wounds, "You shouldn't move too much; you wouldn't be able to anyway."

"…Thanks," Reika says, "What… is he?" she asks.

"…Gaara is the Jinchuuriki of Shukaku, the Ichibi," Temari answers.

Reika's right eye widens, "He's… a Jinchuuriki?" her head snaps to where Sasuke is. _There is…_ no way in hell _nii-san can defeat him. Especially with his state now_.

"What's the matter?! Does the value of your existence amount to only this much?! I've gotten your sister out of the way… there's no need to hold back now! I'll be blunt… you are… weak!" Reika flinches at Gaara's words, "You're too optimistic. And it's because your hatred is weak! The power of hatred is the power of the intent to kill! The power of the intent to kill is the power of revenge! Your hatred is weaker than mine!"

Reika knows just how much Gaara's words will hit home to Sasuke. She turns to look at Sasuke in worry. She knows that he's slowly becoming more agitated as Gaara continues to babble.

"Do you understand the meaning of this?!"

"Shut up!"

"That means you are… weaker than me!"

Reika's eye widens as Sasuke reactivates his _Chidori_. _Idiot! He'll kill himself with his chakra state now!_ "Nii-san, don't!" but of course, Sasuke doesn't listen to Reika's words and he jumps towards Gaara, as Gaara does the same towards him. Reika looks on in worry as Sasuke's _Chidori_ slowly weakens. She flinches when she feels the foreign chakra consuming Sasuke's normal one. She keeps her eyes on her brother as black spots start to cover the left side of his body, and his _Chidori_ regains its strength.

Sasuke and Gaara land on opposite tree branches, and Gaara's monster arm slowly crumbles into sand. Reika's eyes widen when Gaara grows another arm. She turns to look at Sasuke and finds him fallen on the tree branch, "Nii-san!" Her eyes widen when Gaara jumps to attack Sasuke, and without thinking, Reika flickers to where Sasuke is, and wraps her right arm around Sasuke as she flickers them to the side, away from Gaara's line of attack. She yells out in pain and pants as she leans against the bark of the tree with her brother firmly held in her arm.

"Nii-san… you okay?" Reika asks weakly. She looks up to where Gaara is, and her eyes widen when she sees her back up kicking him in the face, "Naruto…?" Reika calls out as her vision blurs. Sakura and a dog wearing a Konoha hitai-ate lands before her and Sasuke. _This must be… Kakashi-sensei's Summon._

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura calls out as she checks on Sasuke. Reika coughs out blood as she can feel herself losing consciousness, "Reika!"

"You guys…" Sasuke says weakly. He groans as he tries to pull away from Reika's grasp, but she won't let her grip on her brother go, even with her waning consciousness. Reika struggles to keep her consciousness, and she can feel that she's fighting a losing battle. Sasuke groans in pain and Reika's grip on Sasuke tightens.

"Sakura…" Reika weakly calls out. Sakura turns to look at her, "Get nii-san… to Kakashi-sensei…" Reika groans in pain as the gashes on her left arm and side throb, "Please…"

"Reika… hime… let me go…" Sasuke says as he struggles to pull himself away from Reika.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"You're… in no shape to fight," Reika says weakly, but her grip on her brother is strong. Reika's right fingers pointedly presses on the bruise, and Sasuke yells out in pain. Reika winces as she listens to his painful yells, "Get a hold of yourself… nii-san…"

Reika is so focused on Sasuke that she doesn't register Gaara trying to attack him once more. She only starts to register her surroundings when she hears Naruto's voice.

"Sakura-chan!"

Reika turns to look at her right and sees Sakura with a kunai in her hands, standing in between Gaara and Sasuke. Reika's open eye widens when Gaara pushes his arm towards Sakura, pinning her against a tree. Naruto shows up in front of Reika and immediately takes both Reika and Sasuke in his arms, taking them to safety.

Reika leans back against the tree Naruto has brought them to, eyeing her brother. She can feel herself falling in and out of consciousness, with the pain, the blood loss, the fever, and chakra depletion. She looks at Naruto's back, then at Sakura who is pinned against a tree by Gaara's monster arm, and her brother.

"Naruto… Sakura… nii-san…"

"What are these three… to you?!" Gaara asks Naruto.

"T-These three are… my friends- _ttebayo_! Try laying so much as another finger on them! I'll destroy you!"

That's the last thing Reika hears before she succumbs to the darkness.

xXx

When Reika reopens her eyes, she's still in the same spot. The arm holding Sakura against a tree is replaced by only its hand. Naruto and Sasuke are nowhere to be seen, but she can see two gigantic forms in the distance. She squeezes her eyes shut and lets out a breath of relief when she can feel Sasuke's chakra nearby. She decides to go out on a limb and flickers beside him, leaning against the tree.

"Nii-san…"

"Reika-hime! Did you flicker here?! What do you think you're doing…?"

"Yeah… it wasn't a good idea," Reika groans, "Where's Naruto…?" she asks slowly. Sasuke turns to look at one of the giants, and Reika realizes now that it's a huge frog, and Naruto is sitting on top of it. _Is that… Naruto's Summon?_ She turns to look at the other giant and sees Gaara's upper half on top of its head. _Shukaku… so Temari wasn't kidding._ He was making a hand seal when he suddenly goes limp. All of a sudden Shukaku starts to laugh.

"I'm finally able to emerge! Right there! The guy I wanna kill! You!"

The frog jumps and Shukaku throws an air bullet at it. The frog throws a water bullet, which Shukaku counters with an air bullet. Both bullets collide midair, causing a storm to fall on them.

"What kind of battle is this…?" Sasuke wonders. He turns to look at his sister when she groans in pain as her wounds are harshly hit by the rain, "Reika-hime!"

Reika smirks in the midst of her pain, "Maybe… I should've… stayed unconscious," she says as the rain stops. She squeezes her eyes shut as the air around them becomes much noisier. She frowns when Shukaku squealed in happiness, "Geez… that monster… is loud…"

"Reika-hime… we need to get you out of here," Sasuke says, "You're losing a lot of blood…!"

"I'd like to… but how…?" Reika asks her brother. She smiles wryly when she sees his state, "Your body… is still covered… by that mark… can you… even move?" Reika asks slowly. She looks up once again and her eyes widen when she sees the frog transform.

"A… a fox?" Sasuke wonders.

Reika frowns. _Not just_ any _fox… that's the Kyuubi_ , Reika's eyes widen when the air bullet comes towards them, blowing a huge gust of wind towards them. Reika squeezes her eyes shut, and finds it hard to reopen them. Ultimately, she doesn't, and gives up to the darkness once again.

She can hear Sasuke's voice calling out to her from far away, but she can't find it in her to respond.

xXx

Reika asks Kirika to help her dress into an arm-length black kimono top and a black knee-length pencil skirt. She wears her black-clothed hitai-ate around her neck as usual and black shinobi sandals. Reika waits in her hospital bed until Kirika has a wheelchair ready and Reika slowly moves to sit on the wheelchair. Kirika places a blanket over her knees and wheeled her out of the hospital, where they meet Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, who are also dressed in black.

"Reika-chan, I'll be waiting for you after it's done," Kirika says. Reika nods wordlessly. Sasuke walks behind her wheelchair and pushes it forward. Reika has not been discharged from the hospital. They let her leave the hospital for a while, at her insistence.

Because it's the funeral for the late Sandaime Hokage.

After some ANBU officers managed to find where they are, they took Team 7 back to Konoha, and rushed Reika into the ICU. She has lost a lot of blood, and her theory was proven right; she has torn ligaments and the nerves on her left arm was hit, so she can't move her left limbs. After she woke up from her surgery, Kirika, her medic in charge, told her that the Hokage had passed away.

When they reach the stairs that lead to the rooftop of the Hokage tower, Sasuke very carefully lifts his sister into his arms, and Naruto folds the wheelchair. They walk up the stairs and when they arrive at the rooftop, Sasuke waits for Naruto to unfold the wheelchair before putting Reika on it. He pushes her wheelchair forward until they join their friends.

And then it starts to rain.

"We will begin the memorial service for Sandaime Hokage, who lost his life in this battle, as well as the other victims of this battle," says a male Konoha elder.

After the bell rings, people start to come forward one by one, putting a white chrysanthemum on an altar before the pictures of the fallen shinobis. From the corner of her eye, she can see Konohamaru crying. Iruka leans down and puts an arm around his tiny shoulders, pulling him into a hug. Finally their turn comes to come forward and give their condolences. Sasuke gives her a flower and pushes her wheelchair forward.

Reika remembers her first conversation with Sandaime Hokage. She was training with Shisui, and the Hokage praised her for her speed. Sandaime Hokage said that it doesn't matter if she's naturally weak or strong, because if she has people to protect, she will naturally become strong. He also told her that he could see her becoming a great ninja such as Shisui and Itachi, which made her smile.

She remembers him as the first person outside her family to have faith in her.

Reika silently puts down her chrysanthemum, and Sakura, who has already placed her flower down, pushes Reika's wheelchair back to the line where their friends are so that Sasuke can put his down.

And just as fast as it comes down, the rain stops.

"Iruka-sensei…" Naruto says as he looks up towards the Hokage Mountain, "Why do people risk their own lives for other people?"

Iruka looks at Naruto, then forward at the Hokage's picture, "When one person dies… their past, their present life, and their future disappear along with them. Many people die doing their duty and fighting in battle… and shockingly easily, too. Those who pass away also have dreams and ambitions. But everyone has something else, just as important. Parents, siblings, friends, lovers… those who are dear to them. They trust each other and help each other, the people whom they've cherished since the day they were born. And that string which connects those people becomes stronger and thicker as time goes by… it can't be explained by logic… those who hold those strings just do it, because it's important to them."

"…yeah. I kind of get it," Naruto says.

 _I understand how that feels… the feeling of wanting to protect those you hold dear. At first I want to become stronger to get otou-san's recognition… and then I wanted Shisui-nii-sama's… but after I've lost the whole clan, I wanted to become stronger so that I can protect Sasuke-nii-san. So that I won't be left alone in the world. Over time, the people I want to protect grows… Shikamaru. Chouji. Naruto. Sakura. Kakashi-sensei. All of my friends…_ Reika thinks.

"But…" Naruto continues, "It's tough to die."

Reika closes her eyes at Naruto's words.

"It's not like he just died for nothing," Kakashi says from behind them. Reika doesn't know when he got there, "He left us something very important. Well, you'll eventually understand one of these days."

"Yeah, I kind of get that too- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says.

"The rain's stopped," Sakura says.

Reika looks up at the skies and smiles when the dark clouds roll out to give way to the sun. Suddenly she's attacked by a coughing fit, and Sasuke puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Reika, you okay?" Sakura asks worriedly.

"Let's get you back to the hospital," Sasuke says.

"Yeah…" Reika says. She lets Sasuke wheel her towards where Kakashi is, waiting for Naruto to say goodbye to Iruka. She smiles at Naruto who's running towards them with a huge grin on his face. They start their walk towards the hospital to drop Reika off.

Reika scoffs when she sees Kirika waiting at the hospital gates, "Geez, Kirika-senpai. I won't run away, you know?" she says with a smirk.

"I can never know with you, Reika-chan," Kirika says. She looks up at Reika's teammates, "Thank you for escorting Reika."

"Come visit me, guys," Reika says with a smirk to her teammates, "Especially you, nii-san."

"Sure," Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Okay!" Sakura says.

"Got it- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says.

"Get well soon, Reika," Kakashi says. Reika nods at them and lets Kirika wheel her back into her hospital room.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I am a horrible person. Not only that I almost forgot updating, but I also have to inform you that this fanfiction will end at chapter 29, that means we only have 5 chapters left. But worry not. I am in the process of writing the Naruto Shippuuden part of Reika's tales, and I also have a very special treat for people who are interested in Shikamaru x Reika. I still don't know when I plan to post it, but I will!**

 **By the way, does anyone have a good pairing name for Shikamaru and Reika?**

 **102 followers? Wow. I can't believe that there are at least 102 people who likes my story enough to want to wait every week for a new chapter. That makes me feel so happy. Thanks so much, guys :3**

 **To PurpleRawan: Reika isn't sick, she's just wounded from being slapped by Gaara's Shukaku arm. She recovers in this chapter. All too well, if I may add.**

 **Like I said before, Reika is a Mary-Sue. It will be more obvious from this chapter on. Don't say I didn't warn you ;)**

 **Thanks so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Enjoy~!**

* * *

Reika spends most of her days in the hospital just lying down in bed, waiting for someone to come and entertain her or for her physical therapy session to come. Her brother would come every day, bringing her favorite fruit, apples. True to her words, at one point, Reika cuts down Sasuke's bangs in one of his visitation. Sakura, Naruto, and even Kakashi would join him sometime. She had to watch in envy as they leave for their training.

The second person who comes the most often after her brother is Shikamaru, who always brings a mini shogi board and entertains her with a match. Chouji would sometimes join Shikamaru, bringing some snacks Reika wouldn't be allowed to eat until she's better. Even Kiba and his teammates came to visit her once. Reika strangely doesn't mind.

A week after Sandaime Hokage's funeral, Reika can finally move her arm and leg without much hassle, and she is to be discharged the next day. She can't wait to go back to training. Her body is stiff because she doesn't move much since her hospitalization. The only training Kirika allows her are her medical ninjutsu training with Kirika, and shurikenjutsu training, which she does in the backyard of the hospital.

On the day of her release, she decides to train in shurikenjutsu a little before she leaves. She has had an uneasy feeling since she woke up out of a dreamless sleep. She's glad to know that her vision and her dexterity don't change even after a while of no training. She just needs to return to her physical training, and she should be good to go back to her team.

Reika throws her kunai towards a target she put in a blind spot behind a tree, and turns around. She frowns when it doesn't hit the bulls' eye like it usually does. _Strange… am I really still that unwell…? But if I was… what is with this uneasiness…? It's like something big is going to happen…_

No matter what she does, Reika just can't shake off the uneasiness.

When Reika does get home, she can't find Sasuke anywhere in their apartment. She squeezes her eyes shut and frowns when she feels him at Kakashi's apartment. She decides to go after him. But when she arrives in front of her sensei's house, she sees her brother jumping from roof to roof away from it. She frowns in confusion, and decides to go into her sensei's house.

Her eyes widen when not only Asuma, Kurenai, Guy, and another Jounin are there, but Kakashi seems to be bedridden, "Um… what's wrong with Kakashi-sensei…?"

"Reika! You're out of the hospital?" Asuma asks.

"Yeah, just this morning… is Kakashi-sensei okay?" Reika asks as she walks towards her sensei's bedside. She frowns when she doesn't see any physical damage, "Excuse me…" Reika says as she activates her Sharingan, and finds Kakashi's chakra disturbed. _He's under genjutsu… even with his Sharingan?_ Reika widens her eyes when she works out what happens. _The only one who can cast a genjutsu on a Sharingan user would be… another Sharingan user. Could it be…?_

"Asuma-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, Guy-sensei…" the three Jounins turn to look at Reika, "Please answer me honestly…" she turns to look at the three Jounins in the eye one by one with her Sharingan on, "My brother… Itachi-nii-sama is behind this, isn't he?" when the three Jounins refuse to meet her eyes, she sighs, "So that's why I've been so uneasy…" _And that's why nii-san was out of here faster than a lightning with such an unstable state of mind…_

Reika squeezes her eyes shut and deactivates her Sharingan as she feels for her brother's chakra. She reopens her onyx eyes and runs out of Kakashi's house, ignoring the calls of the Jounins. She _has_ to catch up to her brother before he does anything stupid.

xXx

Reika follows Sasuke out of the village. She keeps asking people if they've seen someone who looks like her with a serious look on his face wearing black, and she's brought to a post station in the next town. It's bustling with activity, and it seems to be mainly an entertainment center city. _But… why would nii-san or nii-sama be here?_

She goes to the closest hotel and asks, "Excuse me… have you seen a boy with a serious look around here? He kinda looks like me and he wore black all over…"

"Ah… that frown faced kid? He was here earlier… asking about a tall, white-haired man travelling with a dumb-looking blond wearing orange…"

 _Dumb-looking blond wearing orange? Why would nii-san go look for Naruto here? And a tall, white-haired man?_ "Thank you," Reika says as she walks out of the hotel. She has no time to ask around everywhere, so she hides in an alley and squeezes her eyes shut, trying to sense her brother while trying to catch her breath. Her muscles are still quite stiff from being unused for a while, so she's straining herself to run at her usual speed with her weights on to catch up to her brother.

Reika reopens her eyes when she feels Sasuke's chakra. She runs towards the direction of it. At some point, Reika feels a surge in Sasuke's chakra. _He must've found Itachi-nii-sama… and is attacking him with_ Chidori, Reika finally arrives in an inn, and she walks inside, frowning when she doesn't see anyone, "Excuse me…?" _Why would there be nobody behind the reception table? But Sasuke-nii-san is definitely here… should I just go up and look?_

Before going up the stairs, Reika activates her Sharingan, just in case her eldest brother is around. She doesn't want to end up comatose like Kakashi. She may have not mastered her Sharingan fully just yet, but it would be better than nothing. She walks up the stairs and her eyes widen when she sees a tall figure with black hair wearing a black coat with red clouds, holding her brother, who is limp, by his neck against a wall.

"Itachi… nii-sama…" Reika calls out. Her oldest brother turns to look at her. She steps forward until she can see Naruto, a tall, white-haired man, and another man wearing the same coat as Itachi's on the corner of her eye. She can also see the wall to her left is destroyed in a straight line. _So nii-san really did try to attack nii-sama with_ Chidori…

"Rei-chan!"

"Oh? Another kid with Sharingan. Her eyes look like yours… another one of your siblings, Itachi?" asks a blue-skinned man with fish-like features, much taller than Itachi.

"Yes… my younger sister… it's been a long time… Reika-hime," Itachi says. At Itachi's voice calling her name, a memory with resurfaces in Reika's mind.

" _Itachi-nii," Reika calls out._

" _Hmm? What is it, Reika-hime?" Itachi asks as he turns to look at his tiny younger sister._

" _Why do you call me hime?" Reika asks. Itachi smiles as he squats down and puts a hand on Reika's head._

 _He kisses Reika's forehead and says, "Because you're a princess, Reika-hime. You're my only sister, and I will protect you like a knight should a princess."_

" _But I don't want you to be a knight… you're my brother…" Reika says with a pout. She then brightens up, "Does that mean you and Sasuke are princes?"_

 _Itachi chuckles, "You can think of it like that."_

" _Hey, Itachi-nii? What do princesses call their brothers?"_

 _Itachi's eyes widen at the question, "Hmm? I'm not sure… nii-sama, perhaps?"_

 _Reika gives him a huge smile, "Okay! I'll call you and Shisui-nii-san nii-sama from now on!"_

" _What about Sasuke, Reika-hime?"_

" _Hmm… can't I just call him by his name?" Reika asks._

" _He's older than you by 7 minutes, Reika-hime. Princesses should be respectful of their elders," Itachi says._

 _Reika pouts at Itachi, "Fine… Can I just call him nii-chan, then? He's not_ that _much older than me," Itachi gives his youngest sister a closed-eye smile._

" _I think that would be fine."_

Reika hasn't broken out of that habit since then. Over time, 'Sasuke-nii-chan' becomes 'Sasuke-nii-san', while Itachi and Shisui are 'nii-sama'. Eventually Sasuke follows Itachi and Shisui's lead and starts calling her Reika-hime. Reika wonders why Sasuke doesn't break out of that habit since the nickname was made by their oldest brother, whom he hates.

"…please let Sasuke-nii-san go," Reika says as she takes three senbons into her hand and infuses them with fire chakra.

Itachi looks into his sister's eyes, "…as you wish," he says as he lets Sasuke go limp on the floor. Reika throws her senbons towards Itachi, and while he deflects them with his hand, she lunges at him and throws a kick to his side. Her eyes widen when Itachi grabs her leg and throws her against the wall powerfully. Reika coughs out blood as she stands up. She throws another barrage of fire senbons, and tries to lay a hand on her brother, but Itachi is infinitely better than her at taijutsu, even when she can keep up with her speed.

"You're fast, Reika-hime…" Itachi says as Reika tries to lift herself up from the floor. He takes Reika by the scruff of her top, and presses her against the wall by her neck, like he did with Sasuke earlier, "You really are… Shisui's pupil."

Reika grits her teeth when Itachi says his name. She glares at him, "Tell me… the truth…" Reika wheezes out, "Did you… kill Shisui… nii-sama…?"

Itachi looks into Reika's eyes, Sharingan meeting Sharingan, "…and what if I did?"

Reika's eyes widen, "Liar…!" Reika spits out, "You… would never… do that!"

"It seems that the idea you have of me is different from the reality, Reika-hime… stop daydreaming and accept the truth," Itachi says as he closes his eyes. He reopens them, and Reika's eyes widen when she sees a different patterned Sharingan than the usual three tomoes. His Sharingan spins. Reika inhales sharply when she's caught in his genjutsu.

 _Reika sees Shisui, on top of a cliff, both of his eyes closed as they bleed. She also sees Itachi, with his ANBU outfit, holding a katana in his right hand while his left hand is squeezed; the contents of his left hand oozing blood. Itachi walks towards Shisui, and while Shisui is teetering off the edge of the cliff, Itachi pushes him towards Naka River down below. Then everything goes black. A few seconds later, the same thing happens over and over again, like a broken tape._

 _No… no…! NO…!_

"NOO!" Reika screams out as her Sharingan spins, breaking her out of the genjutsu. She hangs her head as she pants harshly. That genjutsu release required a lot more chakra than usual.

Itachi's eyes widen when instead of losing consciousness like their brother, Reika manages to release herself out of his genjutsu. _I see… I can't believe how much you've grown… if you hone it, your Sharingan's power… may be able to rival Shisui's, Reika-hime…_ Itachi thinks. The wall suddenly turns red, and Itachi knows that the Frog Sage has trapped them inside a frog's throat. He pushes Reika against the wall until she's suspended against it. He does the same with his younger brother.

Reika pants in exertion. Even though she's out of the genjutsu, Itachi has made her see something she may never forget even if she wanted to. _No… that was just a genjutsu… that can't be real… Itachi-nii-sama would never… kill Shisui-nii-sama…_ She had only noticed her surroundings again when the wall slowly pushes her and her brother out. Reika falls to her knees, catching Sasuke in the process.

"Sasuke! Rei-chan!" Naruto calls out as he approaches the twins.

The white-haired man slams his foot onto the floor and the walls and the floors turn back to normal. Naruto helps Reika lay Sasuke down against the wall. Reika bites her lower lip when she lifts her brother's face up but his eyes are unfocused.

"Rei-chan… is he okay?" Naruto asks. He frowns in worry when Reika doesn't seem to have heard him and only focuses on her brother.

Suddenly, a kunai is thrown to the wall, and a figure runs towards them.

"Dynamic Entry!"

The figure – Guy – kicks the white-haired man aside, but then he seems to have realized his mistake. Guy rubs the back of his neck in remorse.

"Well… I'm sorry to have kicked you so directly," Guy says, "I was in a rush and I forgot my mirror… I used my hitai-ate instead, but it was hard to see. And I assumed this rough-hewn face was the enemy… I just let the flames of the burning youth take over me… I'm sorry!"

"Is that… supposed to be an apology?!"

"I'm a simple-minded guy, just like how my face looks…"

"Well… it doesn't really matter. More importantly, we have to get Sasuke to the medical team!"

"I understand, Jiraiya-sama. Reika, let's get Sasuke to the Konoha Hospital," Guy says as he puts a hand on Reika's shoulder. Reika nods. Now she knows who the white haired man is. He's one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya.

"He has broken arm and ribs. Not only that, but he's received some mental attack from Itachi's doujutsu," Jiraiya explains. He turns to look at Reika, "Reika, you should go get checked as well. You were also under his jutsu," Guy widens his eyes when he hears that. _Kakashi couldn't even break himself out of that genjutsu… Itachi did say someone of his blood would be able to break out of it, but evidently Sasuke couldn't… does that mean… she could be more powerful than Kakashi and Sasuke?_ Guy thinks.

"I'm fine…" Reika insists.

"Ero Sennin! Is Sasuke going to be alright?" Reika raises an eyebrow at Naruto's nickname, but she also would like to know the answer.

"Seems like he's received a significant amount of mental damage…" Jiraiya says.

Naruto squeezes his hand in a fist as he shakes in anger, "Ero Sennin- _ttebayo_! We've gotta change our plan! I got scared earlier, but this time I'm going to chase those black-capes and get them!" Naruto vows, "It's me that they want, right?! Then, I'll be the one to make my way over!"

"Idiot," Reika says.

"What?!"

"You're clearly their target. If you go, you're just playing right into their hands. You'll get killed," Reika explains bluntly without taking her eyes off of her brother.

"She's right," Jiraiya says, "They're at a totally different level than you. I just managed to get you away from them…"

"Then are we just going to keep running away?! Are we supposed to keep living in fear?!" Naruto asks.

"Shut your mouth for a second!" Jiraiya scolds him. Naruto flinches and looks away, "You are weak."

Naruto grits his teeth and eyes Sasuke's immobile state.

"I'm sorry, Guy, Reika. I thought that I had spared the boy's feeling, but… I should've saved him much sooner," Jiraiya says.

Reika shakes her head, "No… he must've forced you not to come between him and nii-sama… he's just a stubborn idiot," Reika says as she runs a hand through her brother's hair.

"Kakashi has also come down with the same jutsu… we don't know when he will regain consciousness," Guy says.

"Kakashi-sensei?!" Naruto asks with wide eyes.

"When my students are hurt… I always wish, from the bottom of my heart… if that person, who is a medical specialist, were here…" Guy says.

"That's why we're going to go find her now," Jiraiya says. Reika's eyes widen. _If Jiraiya-sama, who is one of the legendary Sannin, is going to find her… could it be… they're trying to find…?_

"What? You mean, her?" Guy asks, his eyes wide, "Could it be…?"

Jiraiya smirks at Guy, "That's right…the one who uses slugs and drive illnesses away, and who is also one of the Sannin like me… the one with the letter 'gamble' on her back, Tsunade-hime!"

Reika's eyes widen. Her theory was right, "Can she… heal nii-san?" Reika asks carefully.

"I've never seen her unable to cure any illness, so I'm sure she can," Jiraiya says, "Now let's get out of here."

Guy takes Sasuke on his back, and they all walk out of the inn and into the entrance of the town.

"Well then, Guy. I'll leave Sasuke and Reika to you," Jiraiya says.

"Jiraiya-sama… be sure to find Tsunade-sama and bring her back to…"

"You bet we'll find her and bring her right away- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says before Guy finishes his sentence. Reika turns to look at Naruto and sees the determination in his eyes.

"Let's go, Reika," Guy says as he walks away. Reika nods and follows him.


	25. Chapter 25

After Sasuke has been admitted to the hospital, Reika finds it hard to leave him alone. She sits by his bed, watching him as he sleeps. Reika doesn't even want to know what kind of torture Itachi put him through. She was just lucky to be able to break out of her brother's genjutsu; Reika's not even sure how she did it. But now, she feels so powerless because there's nothing she could do for Sasuke, besides sitting on his bedside, waiting for Naruto to come back with either good or bad news.

Not long after Sasuke is admitted, of course, Sakura comes in. Reika actually would like some alone time with her brother, considering what just happened, but she really is in no mood to say anything to anyone, so she the hospital room with a kiss on Sasuke's forehead, ignoring Sakura's calls for her.

Reika leaves the hospital and lets her feet take her anywhere they want to go. When she looks up, she's standing in front of the Memorial Stone. She traces the names on the stone, even when the name of the person she always comes here for isn't carved on there. Reika always comes to the Memorial Stone whenever she wanted to "visit" Shisui, because Shisui once said to her that he wanted to have his name carved on there; because he wanted to die as a hero for the village. But he didn't.

Shisui had died after falling down a cliff into the Naka River – which is the main reason why Reika loathes big, unpredictable bodies of water and heights – and his body was never found. He doesn't have his own headstone, and his name is not carved into the Memorial Stone. Every year, without fail, on the same date that she found out that Shisui had died, she will find herself in front of the stone with a mini bouquet of white chrysanthemum.

This time, it's not the same date, nor does she have a mini bouquet in her hands. She just stands in front of the stone, unmoving.

 _Shisui-nii-sama… Itachi-nii-sama put a genjutsu on Sasuke-nii-sama and he seems to have fallen into a coma. Itachi-nii-sama did the same to me, but I managed to get out of it, by fluke. If I had come earlier… maybe Sasuke-nii-san wouldn't be lying on a hospital bed right now. So Shisui-nii-sama… how do I become stronger? If I were stronger, I'd be able to protect Sasuke-nii-san better, and become more useful to him. Maybe even stop him from killing Itachi-nii-sama._

Reika narrows her eyes in determination. _I_ have _to become stronger._

xXx

Ever since then, Reika goes on a routine. She'd arrive at the hospital the second the visiting hours start, lose track of time while holding Sasuke's hand, and leaves with a kiss to his forehead when Sakura comes. She found out that Kakashi has also been admitted to the hospital not long after Sasuke did, so she'd visit him afterwards. She'd go to the Memorial Stone and pray, and then she'd train until she's on the verge of passing out.

It's been more than a month since Naruto left with Jiraiya to find Tsunade. Reika bows at the medic-nin who is currently working on morning duty. It's the same one as the one she met three days ago. She sits on a chair beside Sasuke's bed and takes his hand in hers. She eyes her brother's face and almost wills him to open his eyes, but he won't.

 _Nii-san… what did nii-sama make you see to the point of you losing consciousness?_ Reika thinks as she runs her thumb on the back of Sasuke's unresponsive hand. She looks up to the bedside table and sees the flower Sakura brought in a couple of days ago. Every time the flower starts to wilt, the next day Sakura would bring a new one. Reika hardly interacts with her peers, and makes a conscious effort of avoiding them. But she knows she can't avoid them forever.

"Ah…"

Reika turns her head to look at the door, where Sakura is standing. _Is it that time already?_ Reika thinks as she turns her head back to look at her brother's sleeping face. She squeezes Sasuke's hand and kisses his forehead. She pulls away and doesn't regard Sakura as she walks outside.

"Reika…" at the sound of her name, Reika stops, "Am I… am I in the way?"

Reika doesn't say anything for a while, until she says, "…do whatever you want," and leaves the room towards Kakashi's.

After visiting Kakashi, she leaves for her training. She runs in the forest, up and down trees, and then she trains her taijutsu and ninjutsu. She also trains her chakra flow, and ends her training with target practice. She puts on her hitai-ate over her eyes and closes them for good measure, and starts throwing.

"Found you."

Reika turns around after she has thrown her final kunai at the voice. She unties her hitai-ate and sees Shikamaru and Kiba – which is kind of strange to see, as Reika is so used to seeing Shikamaru with Chouji – walking towards her. She re-ties her hitai-ate around her neck.

"I've been looking for you," Shikamaru says, "I heard Sasuke's in the hospital, so I thought I'd find you there. But every time I go there, I only saw Sakura."

Reika walks towards the targets and takes all of her shurikens and kunais back into her pouch and holster, "Well, it's kinda hard to have family time with company."

"Why don't you just tell her to get lost, then?" Kiba asks.

"Honestly?" Reika asks as she walks towards the target in a blind spot behind a huge rock. Shikamaru and Kiba's eyes widen when they see that the kunai stabbing the blind spot is right in the middle of the target, "I couldn't be bothered to say anything to anyone."

"Do you want us to leave, then?" Shikamaru asks.

Reika is silent as she pockets her kunai. She appreciates the thought. Eventually she sighs, "Nah, it's okay. I guess I should start socializing."

"That's the spirit! You gotta get your mind off of negative things, Little Miss Sunshine, otherwise you'll grow dimmer!" Kiba says with a fanged grin.

Reika scoffs and shakes her head, "You're loud, Inuzuka," but honestly, she's thankful of their company. With so little interaction with another functioning human being, Reika has actually started to worry for her sanity. Reika follows the two boys towards the forest, "Where are we going, anyway?"

"I found a good spot to cloud-watch a couple of days ago with Chouji," Shikamaru says, "And Kiba likes to train around there with Akamaru, so we met on the way."

"Where is Chouji, anyway? It's unusual to see you without him," Reika says.

"Hospital," Kiba says.

"Let me guess. He overate again," Reika guesses.

"Bingo," Reika rolls her eyes at Shikamaru's answer.

"Figures."

Their walk is filled with mostly Kiba talking with Shikamaru and Reika listening on as Akamaru runs around them. Suddenly, Akamaru stops in his tracks and growls at a tree. Kiba snarls at a tree across the one Akamaru is growling at. Reika and Shikamaru frown at them and they eye their surroundings. Reika's eyes widen as a kunai is thrown at her from her left, but her reflexes allow her to take a kunai in her hand and deflect it before it could hit her.

"Very nice… I didn't know Konohagakure has such talented genins."

Reika glares at the newcomer. He's big and tall, with a diagonal scar across his face. Reika thinks he might be of the same height as Ibiki. She has seen him in a Bingo Book before, "…Arashi Yorukage. A-rank nuke-nin from Kumogakure. I heard you've been running around from one village to another to raid nobles' riches and kill them. What brings you to Konohagakure?"

The nuke-nin – Yorukage – eyes Reika with interest, "I never thought a genin like you would recognize me. As expected from someone from the notable Uchiha clan. I'd surely gain more fame if I have an Uchiha with me. Care to join me?"

Reika spins a kunai on her left hand and takes three senbons in her right, infusing them with fire chakra. She says, "Not a chance," and smirks when Yorukage's eyes widen.

"I-I can't… move…"

"Heh! _Kagemane no Jutsu_ is a success," Shikamaru says with a smirk as he slowly undoes his hand seal.

"Kiba… how many?" Reika asks as she slowly moves backwards to look straight ahead, left of Shikamaru.

"Excluding him? …six," Kiba says as he faces Shikamaru's right, and Akamaru faces Shikamaru's back.

"Tch," Reika clicks her tongue, "So what do we do, Shikamaru?"

"What do you have on him?" Shikamaru asks as Yorukage's subordinates start to surround them.

"Well… from what I read, he is one of the user of _Ranton_ (Storm Release)," Reika says.

"Man, this is such a pain…" Shikamaru grumbles, "Okay. Here's the plan. You guys get rid of his subordinates while I try to hold him down. I don't think he's smart enough to survive alone," Shikamaru says, "Do whatever you want, but stay visible! We can't afford to lose sight of each other."

"Okay," Reika says.

"Got it! Come on, Akamaru!" Akamaru barks.

"…don't strain yourself, Shikamaru," Reika says.

"Heh! You just gotta clean up fast, then," Shikamaru smirks at her.

Reika rolls her eyes with a smile as she lunges at the closest shinobi. The three shinobis she's up against towers over her, and she smirks as she finally found something useful about her height – or lack thereof. She can hear Kiba and Akamaru, and it sounds like they're having fun. Reika smirks as she starts to make her move.

But while Reika may get the easier ones, Kiba and Akamaru are not so lucky. They're having a hard time with just one of them. So after Reika is done with her opponents, she runs and aids Kiba.

"You okay?" Reika asks.

Kiba clicks his tongue, "I hate to admit it, but… they're strong."

"Let's take them on one by one, together," Reika says.

Even with the two of them together, Reika and Kiba are still outnumbered and against shinobis who are definitely not Genins anymore. Not to mention Shikamaru couldn't hold Yorukage forever, and eventually he undoes the jutsu so that he doesn't lose too much chakra. Shikamaru, Reika, Kiba, and Akamaru are standing with their backs against each other's.

"…now what?" Reika asks.

"Tch. What a pain. Just try not to die, I guess. There's no other way," Shikamaru says.

"Why won't you use your mighty Sharingan, Uchiha-chan? I've always wanted to have one of those…" Yorukage says.

Reika smirks, "You're not worth the effort."

Yorukage glares at her and makes hand seals. He then shouts, " _Ranton: Reizaa Saakasu_ (Storm Release: Laser Circus)!"

Reika's eyes widen as she rapidly makes tiger, hare, boar, and dog hand seals, " _Doton: Doryuuheki_ (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)!"

A wall of stone rises up from the ground, wide enough to cover Reika and her friends before a shot of bright energy can hit them. Reika's eyes widen as the wall before her starts to crack, and she immediately pushes her peers out of the way before the wall crumbles and the energy hits her straight on her torso. Reika is thrown backwards, and her body harshly slams against a tree. She coughs out blood as she slides down the tree.

"Reika!"

Reika groans as her whole body twitches from the electric current. She can hardly open her eyes long enough to see what's happening. When she does open her eyes, she's tightly tied to a tree, and Shikamaru and Kiba are fighting a shinobi each, which, to Reika, seems to be a faulty strategy. _At this rate… they'll die for sure_ , Reika thinks.

"Shikamaru…! Kiba! Work together!" Reika says with a lot of effort. But she's too late, as the shinobi who's going against Kiba and Akamaru has landed a hit that knocks them both out, "Kiba!" When Reika turns to look at Shikamaru, Yorukage is holding him by his neck.

"Don't get in the way of adults' business, brat…" Yorukage says with a dangerous look in his eyes. Reika flinches as he powerfully slams Shikamaru's head against a tree.

"Shikamaru!" Reika yells. The thought of losing Shikamaru – for some reason she doesn't understand – is unbearable to her.

"How about a deal? You give me that Uchiha girl and I'll let you and your canine friends go scot free," Yorukage asks Shikamaru.

Shikamaru pants as his head continues to bleed profusely. His vision is dimming, but his head is still clear enough for him to make a comment. He smirks, "Heh… I'll never give her to anyone."

"Is that so…?" Yorukage asks as he tightens his hold on Shikamaru's neck. Shikamaru's eyes widen as they start to go bloodshot.

"Stop!" Reika shouts. But Yorukage doesn't hear her.

"Say goodbye to your boyfriend, Uchiha-chan," Yorukage says as his hand starts to glow white with lightning chakra, and Shikamaru goes limp in his hand.

"NOO!" Reika screams. Yorukage lets Shikamaru go, and Shikamaru's body is limp on the ground, unmoving aside from the slight twitching from the lightning attack. Reika's heart sinks. For the first time in a while, tears run down her cheeks.

"Oops. I've killed your boyfriend. That's what he gets for being an uncooperative little brat," Yorukage says as he looks at Reika. His eyes widen with what he sees before him.

Reika squeezes her eyes shut. She tries her hardest not to scream out from the pain that burns her eyes. She can also feel something thick and wet running down her cheeks aside from her tears. When she opens her eyes again, she glares at Yorukage with two eyes with red sclera, black four-pointed pinwheel design, and red center surrounding a black pupil, blood dripping from her eyes. She uses her right glove as a medium for her fire chakra, ignoring the pain as she burns the rope that is tying her down.

Reika stands up as the rope continue to burn. Her right hand is badly burned, but she doesn't care. Her eyes meet one of the shinobis', and they pass out immediately.

"H-Hey! What's wrong with you?!" Yorukage asks in panic.

Not even Reika knows what she just did. She focuses her chakra on her right eye and glares at the shinobi who managed to defeat Kiba. All of a sudden he starts attacking his comrade. Reika squeezes her right eye shut as it starts to bleed again. She grimaces as she looks at Yorukage with her remaining open eye. She needs to finish this quickly so that she can get Kiba, Akamaru, and Shikamaru to safety. _Even though technically Shikamaru doesn't need safety anymore…_

She makes a head count in her head. She's up against Yorukage and his three comrades. One of them passed out the second they saw her eyes. One of them somehow got into Reika's genjutsu and started attacking his comrade, now dead. Reika throws her fire senbons to the shinobi who fell for her genjutsu right on his forehead, killing him instantly. She turns to look at Yorukage – the person who killed Shikamaru – and sees him fall down trembling.

"I-I-I…"

" _You_ don't speak. Just die."

Reika focuses her chakra on her left eye and she finds herself and Yorukage in a field of red camellias with menacing red sky. Yorukage is lying on the ground, wrapped in vines so he couldn't move an inch. The vines start to grow tighter around him and Yorukage starts to scream as the vines grow thorns. This continues until the moon in the sky changes forms from a crescent moon to a half moon.

In reality, he is just screaming bloody murder as Reika looks on in contempt. She slowly makes boar, horse and tiger seals and takes a deep breath. She blows some flames from her mouth and burns Yorukage to ashes.

Reika closes both her eyes, pressing the heels her hands against her eyes to numb the pain. She feels like she's about to pass out any minute. When she opens her eyes, they're back to their usual onyx color. She pants. It's not her first time killing, nor is it the first time she uses her Sharingan, but what she just did… it's exhilarating yet terrifying at the same time. She never experienced the feeling of being so powerful before, and it scares her.

Reika looks around and frowns. She can hardly see with her right eye, but she doesn't care. She needs to get Kiba to a hospital and Akamaru to a vet. She approaches Kiba and sighs in relief when she finds out that he's still breathing, only passed out. She smiles when Akamaru whines, and she pets him softly. She moves to Shikamaru. She braces herself before she starts to check his vitals. She grits her teeth.

"No…" Reika doesn't know how much time has passed since his heart has stopped beating. She may be taking a risk of passing out from chakra exhaustion and not being able to save Shikamaru, but she can't think of another way. She focuses her chakra on her palms, and winces when she flows some lightning chakra to make a makeshift defibrillator. She pumps Shikamaru's heart, ignoring the pain running through her palms, and then she hears Kiba groaning.

"Wha…" Kiba opens his eyes and sits up with a wince. His eyes widen immediately when he sees Reika, blood running down her cheeks from her eyes, desperately trying to pump Shikamaru's heart, "Reika! Shikamaru!"

"Kiba, go get help!" Reika commands with a tone that gives no room for a rebuttal without taking her eyes off of Shikamaru.

"O-Okay!" Kiba says as he takes Akamaru in his arms, running towards the village.

Reika isn't conscious long enough to find out if Kiba managed to get some help, or if Shikamaru survived.


	26. Chapter 26

When Reika opens her eyes, she can't see out of her right eye. She lifts her right hand only to hiss in pain. She looks at her right hand with her left eye and sees it covered in bandages. She puts her left hand – which is also bandaged, but doesn't hurt as much as her right – over her right eye and feels that it's also wrapped in bandages. She does remember that the eye that bled the most was her right one.

Reika slowly sits up on her bed and looks around. She finds a pair of crutches leaning on her bedside table with a note on it. She takes the note and her eye widens. She smiles softly at it.

' _Yo, Little Miss Sunshine!_

 _I know you'd be bored when you wake up, so I begged a medic-nin named Kirika to give you crutches for when you're awake!_

 _Thanks for saving us_

– _Kiba'_

Underneath Kiba's letter is a familiar handwriting that actually brings tears of relief to Reika's eyes.

' _Troublesome woman._

 _Get well soon._

– _Shikamaru_

 _P.S. I heard what you did. Thanks. You saved my life.'_

"Kiba… Shikamaru…" Reika puts down the note and wipes the tear from her eye. She takes one of the crutches and stands up on her feet with the help of the crutch and leaves her room. She looks around and after she recognizes her surroundings, she walks towards the room she knows Sasuke is in.

Her eye widens when she sees an unfamiliar blonde standing on her brother's bedside, and Sakura is hugging a dazed but awake Sasuke. _This must be… Tsunade-sama_ , Reika thinks. _Nii-san… is awake…_

A woman with black hair turns when she notices her, "Ah… should you be out of your bed?" she asks.

"Who is it, Shizune?" Tsunade asks. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke turn to look at the door, and their eyes widen.

"Reika…?!"

"Rei-chan?! What happened- _ttebayo_?!" Naruto asks in panic.

Reika ignores Naruto in favor of slowly moving towards Sasuke, standing beside Sakura. She eyes her brother without a word, simply waiting for her brother to make the first move.

"Reika-hime…" Sasuke finally says.

"Are you an idiot?" Reika asks harshly. Everyone's eyes widen at her words and her tone. They didn't expect Sasuke's twin sister would say something like that after Sasuke wakes up from a coma.

"What–?!" Sasuke glares at his sister. Reika returns the glare.

"When will you stop being so reckless and realize that there are people who care about your well-being?" Reika asks, "I've been with you my whole life, and strangely enough, you never seem to realize that you will always have at least one person who worries about you."

Sasuke avoids looking at Reika's eyes. Instead he closes them.

Reika sighs in defeat as her eyes water, "Nii-san, please…" she looks down to her left hand, which has held onto Sasuke's without her knowing, "Don't make me see you like that again…"

Sasuke squeezes Reika's hand softly, mindful of her injury, and says, "Sorry… Reika-hime."

Reika sighs in exasperation, "It's unfair that I always forgive you whenever you apologize, you know?" she says with a smirk as she slowly uses her right hand to wipe her tears. Sasuke turns to look at her eyes and gives her a small, apologetic smile.

Reika turns to look at Tsunade, "You must be Tsunade-sama," she bows slightly awkwardly with a crutch on, "Thank you for healing my brother."

"You're the other Uchiha, huh? I heard that you defeated an A-rank nuke-nin all by yourself," Tsunade says. Everyone's eyes except for Shizune's widen. Reika doesn't meet the woman's eyes, basically confirming her suspicions. Reika doesn't notice the frustrated look on Sasuke's face, "Don't look so worried. You may have killed another shinobi, but he _was_ a nuke-nin. You won't be punished because of it."

"That's good."

"One of Arashi Yorukage's followers is still alive and is going through interrogation right now. You may be called in later for questioning," Tsunade says. Reika nods.

"Tsunade-baa-chan! Next! Next!" Naruto says impatiently. Tsunade sighs and leaves the room with Shizune in tow.

"…maybe I should go back to my room," Reika says, "Don't strain yourself," she says as she ruffles her brother's hair.

Sasuke does nothing to protest, "…yeah."

xXx

A day after she woke up, the bandage around Reika's eye is removed. Kirika, who is, again, her medic-nin in charge, told her that they found no damage to the eyeball itself, and only wrapped it in gauze and bandage as a precaution. Because there seem to be no damage – aside from the fact that Reika feels that her vision is more blurry than usual – they decide to open the bandage. On the same day, she is discharged from the hospital.

True to Tsunade's words, after she had been discharged from the hospital, Yamanaka Inoichi called Reika in for questioning. Reika told him what happened from start to finish, unable to leave anything out. Inoichi told her that the shinobi that she spared – the one who was put into a genjutsu right after meeting her eyes – told him that he saw 'two black pinwheels in a red sky'. Reika doesn't understand what that means.

Two days after the inauguration of the Godaime Hokage, Reika sees a hawk flying above her head. _Is that… for me? From the Hokage?_ Reika sighs. _Well, nii-san will have to wait a little bit longer._

She walks towards the Hokage Tower, and meets Shikamaru on the way there. Reika stops in her tracks when she finally sees Shikamaru in the flesh, walking around. She wonders when she started feeling afraid for her best friend's life so much. Her hands shake when she thinks about seeing Shikamaru's lifeless form on the ground, with no heartbeat to be heard. When Shikamaru notices her, she hesitantly lifts a bandaged hand up in a greeting. He replied it with his own hesitant one.

"So… You were called too?" Shikamaru asks.

"Yeah… I wonder if it has something to do with that nuke-nin…" Reika wonders.

"If it is, Kiba should be here too, but I don't see him," Shikamaru says.

"Y-You're right…" Reika says as they continue their way towards the Hokage Tower. _What the hell? Did I just stutter? What is wrong with me?!_

Once they arrive there, they're taken to a room with the Godaime Hokage, Shizune, and all the Chuunin Exams proctors, including some of the sentinels from the first exam. They're all smiling at Reika and Shikamaru when they stand before the Hokage. _No way…_ Reika thinks as she makes a temporary conclusion to their situation.

"Ah, you're here. That was fast. We can start now, right?" Tsunade asks Shizune. When she nods, Tsunade sighs, "To tell you the truth, I have no idea what to do. There were some opinions that there should be no qualifiers this time due to the final part of the exam being incomplete. However, I've heard that Sandaime Hokage was extremely impressed with your fights and considered recommending you two as Chuunins."

Reika and Shikamaru's eyes widen, but Tsunade continues, "All of the other feudal lords watching from other countries as well as the other examiners agree with this. Since that's the case, there isn't anything more for me to say about it," she smiles at Reika and Shikamaru, "Therefore, keep up the hard work and don't bring any disgrace to your hitai-ate. Congratulations. From this day forward, the two of you are Chuunins."

Kotetsu moves forward and hands a Chuunin vest to Reika and Shikamaru each. Reika looks down at the Chuunin vest in her hands and contemplates what she should do with it. Ultimately, she unzips her white hoodie and puts the vest on, zipping it up halfway so the Uchiha crest on her chest is still visible. She pulls the hood from under the vest. She turns to look at Shikamaru with his own vest on.

Reika and Shikamaru thank the Hokage and leave the room. Outside of the room, Reika smiles at Shikamaru, "Congratulations. You deserve it," she smirks at him, "And you actually look good in that vest. It suits you."

Shikamaru blushes at the compliment, "Shut up…" Shikamaru eyes Reika up and down, "You don't look half bad in it either," Reika rolls her eyes at that. She freezes in her spot when Shikamaru smiles a real smile at her. She thinks she can feel blood rushing to her cheeks, "Congratulations. You deserve it too, you know."

Reika and Shikamaru look away from each other. _Geez… when did it get so awkward between us?_ Reika wonders. What she doesn't know is that Shikamaru is thinking the same thing.

"I-I'm going to go visit nii-san in the hospital… so I guess I'll see you later!" Reika says hastily.

"Oh… yeah. See you," Shikamaru says. Reika only nods at that as she practically flees from Shikamaru.

… _What was_ that _?!_ Reika asks herself.

xXx

When Reika arrives at the front of the hospital, she sees Sakura and Naruto coming from the other way.

"Ah! Good morning, Rei-chan!" Naruto says.

"Good morning, Naruto. Sakura."

"Reika, that vest…!" Sakura says with wide eyes.

"Ah… yeah. I just got it earlier," Reika says with a small smile.

"Whoa, Rei-chan, you're a Chuunin now?! Let's go and tell Sasuke about it! He must be so proud- _ttebayo_!" Naruto says with a grin.

"Yeah, Reika. Sasuke-kun would be proud. I remember when you won your preliminaries; he looked so proud then," Sakura says.

Reika gives them a sincere smile at that. She really hopes that Sasuke would be proud of her.

They walk towards Sasuke's room, Naruto making a ruckus along the way. He insists on hiding Reika until they open the door. Naruto slides the door to Sasuke's room open.

"Sasuke-kun, I've bought you some apples," Sakura says as she walks towards Sasuke, who's sitting on his bed, looking at his hands, "Reika told me you don't mind them," Sakura pulls an apple out of the bag and smiles at Sasuke while showing it off, "See? Doesn't it look delicious?"

"Hey, hey, Sasuke, guess what?!" Naruto asks. He waits until Sasuke turns to look at him, but he doesn't. It doesn't deter him, and he steps aside, "Ta-dah! Rei-chan got promoted to a Chuunin- _ttebayo_!"

At that, Sasuke's head snaps up to look at Reika. He squeezes the comforter in his hands when he sees his sister wearing a green Chuunin vest over her usual white hoodie. He clicks his tongue and looks down at his hands.

To be honest, Reika is disappointed. She expected him to be proud of her, like he did when she won her matches in the Chuunin Exams. But after waking up from his genjutsu-induced coma, Sasuke had been more irritable than he usually are. Reika can hardly read him, and it grows hard even for her to start a conversation with him, let alone hold one.

Sakura sits on one side of Sasuke's bed, peeling an apple, while Reika moves to sit on the end of the bed. She contemplates taking her brother's hand in hers, but she doesn't think he'd appreciate that. _Since when do I feel the need to walk on eggshells with my twin brother?_ Reika wonders sadly. She frowns when she sees Sasuke gritting his teeth while glaring at Naruto.

"Well, I've finished peeling it," Sakura says. She cuts the apples into segments so it would be easier to eat. Reika watches as Sakura stabs a piece of apple with a toothpick, "Here you go, Sasuke-kun," Sakura says as she offers the stabbed apple towards Sasuke. At some point, Reika has stopped minding Sakura being close to her brother. She tolerates her somehow, but still doesn't understand why.

Reika inhales sharply when Sasuke slaps the apple along with the plate filled with it away.

"S-Sasuke-kun…?"

"Nii-san…?" Reika asks tentatively, "What's wrong?"

"What's going on- _ttebayo_?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke doesn't say anything and he glares at Naruto. Reika and Sakura look on worriedly. _I don't have a good feeling about this…_ Reika thinks.

"W-What is it? You don't have to stare like that- _ttebayo_ …"

He finally opens his mouth and says, "Hey, Naruto…"

"What is it- _ttebayo_?"

"Fight me, right now."

"What…?" Reika asks with wide eyes.

"Huh? What are you saying? You've just been treated by Tsunade-baa-chan," Naruto asks incredulously.

"I don't care; just fight me!" Sasuke insists as he activates his Sharingan.

"Nii-san, that's enough!" Reika says as she stands up.

"Shut up, Reika!" Reika flinches at Sasuke's harsh tone. She knows that he has the tendency to get harsh, but Reika is rarely on the receiving end of the tone. Not only that, it's the first time Sasuke has called her without the suffix -hime since their real relationship was uncovered.

 _That curse mark is changing him… Not only that; meeting nii-sama must also have done something to him. Nii-sama must've said something to him to fuel his anger…_ Reika thinks.

"You think you saved me?" Sasuke asks Naruto, "I don't care if she's the Godaime Hokage… doing unnecessary things…"

"What…?!" Naruto asks. Sasuke throws his comforter aside and gets off his bed.

"You said before that you wanted to fight me, didn't you? I said I'd fight you right here and now," Sasuke says. He smirks mockingly at Naruto, "Or are you afraid?"

Naruto grits his teeth at Sasuke's words. Reika eyes the two of them as Sakura says, "S-Sasuke-kun, what's wrong? Naruto, say something! Why so suddenly…?"

Naruto smirks, "Perfect timing- _ttebayo_ ," he says, "I was just itching to fight you!"

"Why don't the both of you just cut it out, okay?" Sakura tries to console the two of them.

"Come on, don't be idiots," Reika says.

But the two boys don't seem to be listening to either of them. Sasuke motions with his head as he says, "Follow me."

 _This is bad…_ Reika thinks as she watches Sasuke and Naruto leave the room, "Sakura," Reika calls out. Sakura turns to look at her, "Help me find Kakashi-sensei," Reika doesn't say anything more as she flickers out of the hospital to try and find their sensei. She runs down the street, trying to find Kakashi, and sighs in relief when she sees him standing beside a window looking into Yakiniku Q. She approaches him immediately.

Kakashi turns to look at Reika, and he smiles at her, "Reika. That Chuunin vest suits you. Congratulations," his smile dims when he sees the somewhat uneasy look on her face, "What's wrong?"

Reika stops in front of Kakashi, and she can feel the eyes of Asuma – the person with whom Kakashi was conversing before Reika comes – and his team from within Yakiniku Q. She doesn't take her eyes off of Kakashi's, "…It's Naruto and Sasuke-nii-san. Will you come with me?" Reika practically begs him.

"What's wrong with Sasuke-kun, Reika?" Ino asks.

"Hey, hey… what's wrong, Reika?" Shikamaru asks, noticing the slight panic in his best friend's eyes.

Reika ignores the two of them in favor of looking straight into her sensei's eyes in desperation, "…please."

Kakashi nods and looks at Asuma and his team, "I gotta go. Congratulations again, Shikamaru," he says. He turns to look at Reika and says, "Lead the way."

Reika nods and jumps onto the roof, trying not to look down as she makes her way towards the hospital again. Her eyes widen when she feels Sasuke's chakra spike from the rooftop of the hospital. _No way… he's using_ Chidori _against Naruto?! Is he trying to kill him?!_

Reika lands on the rooftop just in time to push Sakura, who is trying to get between Naruto and Sasuke, out of the way while Kakashi catches Naruto and Sasuke's hands and throws them away. Reika pants as she lifts herself off of Sakura. She glares at her, "Are you an idiot?! Do you have a death wish?! What the hell were you trying to pull?!" Reika yells angrily.

"Reika, that's enough," Kakashi says.

Reika clicks her tongue, but she helps Sakura up nonetheless, "Think twice before you do anything. If they couldn't stop in time, you'd be dead," Reika says with a glare at Sakura.

"She could've worded it better, but Reika has a point, Sakura. If we came just a little bit later, you wouldn't be here right now," Kakashi says.

"I… I'm sorry…" Sakura says.

"What do you think you two are doing on top of the hospital?" Kakashi asks incredulously to Naruto and Sasuke, "Isn't this a little bit too much for a sparring match?"

Reika turns to look up at Naruto and Sasuke. Both of them were thrown towards water tanks on top of the hospital roof. Sasuke's left hand that was covered with _Chidori_ is stuck within the tank, and when he pulls his hand out, water pours out of the hole. While the tank that took Naruto's attack has a small dent on it with a small hole where water comes out.

 _What was that jutsu Naruto was using?_ Reika wonders. She turns to look at Sasuke and sees him smirking in satisfaction. Probably because of the sheer difference of the aftereffects of their jutsus.

"Were you planning on killing Naruto, Sasuke?" Kakashi, who is already sitting on top of the water tank Sasuke attacked, asks, "Why must you insist on being superior? _Chidori_ is not a move to use against someone from the same village," Kakashi says. Sasuke doesn't say anything; he only glares at Kakashi, "Why did you act so childish? Reika is supposed to be the younger, more immature twin here."

Sasuke turns to look at Reika, and then at Naruto. He scoffs and flips backwards over the wire fence, and out of the hospital grounds.

Reika sighs. _I've always known that there's some kind of tension between the two of them… but I never knew it has escalated to this point_ …

Reika ignores a crying Sakura, having no idea how to comfort her. She looks up when Kakashi lands in front of them. Kakashi looks at Reika and smiles, "Reika, thank you for telling me about this. Good job," he turns to look at Sakura, "Sakura," Kakashi says. He smiles at her, "Everything will be fine. It will be like the old days again. Cheer up."

Reika looks away at Kakashi's words. She's not some kind of kid who would blindly believe her elder's words. She knows how to face reality, and the reality is that it will _never_ be the same again.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: I think a lot of people have been waiting for this chapter. Because there's a lot of expectation, I'm quite nervous about posting this part. Nevertheless, enjoy~**

* * *

Reika waits for a while until she feels that Sasuke has calmed down a little bit, then she tracks him down. She stops under the tree she feels Sasuke is sitting on and looks up to see him wired to the bark of the tree, and Kakashi is standing in front of him.

"…even if you do succeed in getting revenge, the only thing that remains is emptiness," Reika can hear Kakashi say from above her.

"Shut up! What do you know?! Don't lecture me as if you know what it's like!" Sasuke growls.

"Now, calm down."

"Then how about it? Should I kill the most important person to you right now?" Reika's eyes widen at Sasuke's threat, "That way you'll know that what you just said is way off the mark!"

"Well, I won't mind if you do," Reika frowns at Kakashi's words, "Unfortunately, I no longer have anybody important to me. They've all been killed already," Reika looks down sadly at Kakashi's self-deprecating tone, "I've lived much longer than you. It was a bad time, too. I know very well how it feels to lose important people. Well, I'll say we're both unlucky people. That's a fact. But we're not completely out of luck. You and I have important friends now, don't we? You also have an important family.

"You understand because you lost important people. You were given the power of _Chidori_ because you have made important friends. That power isn't used against friends or for revenge. You should know what that power is for. Think very carefully about whether or not what I said is off or not. Just remember that you have at least one person who will always be there for you," Kakashi says as he looks down, right towards Reika. He smiles at her and leaves the premises.

Reika slowly walks up the tree and stands in front of Sasuke. She sits down in front of him as she eyes him. She frowns when he squeezes his hands into fists. Her eyes widen in shock when Sasuke snaps his head up to look at her.

"Reika… I felt you when I was going after Itachi. What happened after I was out? Did he put you in a genjutsu?" Sasuke asks.

Reika's heart almost breaks when, again, he doesn't call her with her usual nickname, "…he did."

"Then how come you were awake long enough to take on an A-rank nuke-nin all by yourself? You should've been in the same state as I was. Not even Kakashi could survive his genjutsu."

Reika doesn't know how to answer that. For one, she honestly doesn't know how she survived, and two, she knows that her answer would anger him.

"Reika!"

Reika flinches at Sasuke's harsh call. She looks down to avoid Sasuke's eyes, "I… I had my Sharingan on, and I managed to dispel the genjutsu somehow…"

Sasuke's eyes widen. He glares at his twin, "Activate your Sharingan, Reika."

"Eh?" Reika's eyes widen as she looks up from the strange request.

"Your Sharingan, Reika. Activate them."

Reika sighs and closes her eyes. She opens them to reveal her Sharingan, complete with three tomoes surrounding her pupil. Reika sees Sasuke's eyes widen, and then the last thing she expects him to do happens. He stands up and holds her by her neck and slams her against the tree they're sitting on. Reika's heart breaks. She never expected him to harm her in any way.

Sasuke growls as he pushes his sister against the tree, putting his thumb on top of her trachea, choking her. _She managed to survive Itachi's genjutsu. She killed an A-rank nuke-nin all by herself. She's promoted into Chuunin… and she's already gotten her third tomoe… when did she become so strong?!_ Sasuke thinks in envy.

"You… when did you develop your last tomoe, Reika?" Sasuke asks her as he pushes her tighter against the tree.

Reika's eyes widen at Sasuke's question. When _did_ she develop her last tomoe? The last time she knows, she only had two tomoes. Ever since her fight with Yorukage, she hasn't used her Sharingan out of fear of the power she could wield with them.

"I… I don't know," Reika gasps for air, "The last time I used them… was when I fought that nuke-nin," Reika's eyes widen as Sasuke's hand grow tighter around her neck and he lifts her up by her neck. She can clearly see his envy from his eyes. She holds a hand to his wrist and squeezes her eyes shut as she tries to push his hand off her neck, but to no avail.

"…interesting. You've gotten stronger, Reika," Sasuke says with a smile as he pulls his hand away. Instead of a proud smile, which Reika would've received had he not changed so much, it's an almost evil smile.

Reika drops to the branch and coughs violently as she holds a hand against her neck. Reika looks up to see her brother has vanished. Her eyes widen. She knows that meeting Itachi has done something to invoke the hate within Sasuke, but she doesn't think that it would go to the extent of him hating her progress that he wants her dead.

"Nii-san…" Reika whimpers with tears in her eyes. She doesn't know whether it's from the coughing, shock, or sadness over Sasuke's change. Maybe all of the above.

xXx

"…in order to gain something, you must throw something away. What is your purpose? Is it to stay in this joyful village and lick each other's wounds? And then forget everything… about Uchiha Itachi?"

Sasuke's eyes widen at the Oto kunoichi's words.

"Don't forget what your purpose is. This village is nothing more than a shackle. You should just break such worthless bonds. That way… you will be able to gain an even greater power."

Sasuke grits his teeth at the thought of Reika. But at the same time, he thought of Itachi. He couldn't bear to leave Reika, but he couldn't just throw away his revenge. He couldn't just let the person who left him and his twin sister alone alive.

"Well… if you're not coming with us, like I said, you're not the only one Orochimaru-sama likes. Actually, he's even more interested in your sister than yourself."

Sasuke's glaring eyes dart towards the silver-haired Oto shinobi's.

"While you have a choice, we wouldn't give her one. She doesn't have a cursed seal yet – no thanks to you – and she seems content enough with the power she currently has; she wouldn't willingly come with us to Orochimaru-sama. But Orochimaru-sama told us that we have to bring either one or both of you."

"…touch her…"

"Eh? What did you say, weakling?"

"Don't touch Reika-hime!" Sasuke throws himself towards the silver-haired shinobi without thinking, only to be thrown back against the wall. The silver-haired shinobi smirks at him.

"Then don't forget your purpose. We were being nice to you earlier, giving you the privilege of deciding for yourself. But no more Mr. Nice Guy. Either come with us, or we'll take your darling little sister."

xXx

Reika frowns when for the first time in her life, it's hard for her to track Sasuke's chakra. Usually they can tell exactly where the other is without fail. But this time, it's like that ability never existed in the first place. Reika may be able to feel Sasuke's chakra, but she couldn't place her finger on where he exactly is.

Reika inhales sharply when she hears the front door of their apartment open. She doesn't turn around when Sasuke enters his room. She keeps her eyes on the moon outside the window. When Sasuke's room door opens once again, she opens her mouth, "Where are you going?" she asks, "It's late. You should rest."

"…none of your business," she hears Sasuke continue walking towards their apartment door. Reika bites her lower lip.

"…at least say goodbye before you leave, especially if you don't know when you'll be back," Reika says in annoyance without looking away from the moon. She feels Sasuke stop before the front door of their apartment, and then she hears the footsteps coming towards her, "…are you going to Orochimaru?" Reika asks. Sasuke doesn't answer her. She sighs in exasperation as she runs a hand through her hair, "You're a fool, nii-san. He's going to destroy you."

"He can make me stronger."

"What he _can_ do is turn you into a monster. I know. I've seen it," Reika says as she turns around to look straight into his eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "You would've been proud of me before if you knew I've matured my Sharingan. But remember what you did to me? You choked me half to death because you were jealous I was progressing farther than you," Reika scoffs and turns back around to look at the moon, "That was _not_ my brother."

Sasuke approaches his little sister, but she doesn't turn to look at him, "Reika-hime…" Sasuke calls out, using her favorite nickname once again, "I'm sorry. For what I did… and for what I'm about to do," Sasuke sees Reika flinching at his apology. _I really am sorry, but… they'd take you by force if I don't go with them. This is my last effort to protect you, Reika-hime. I can't let that snake put his hands on you._

"…I've known from the start that nothing I say can stop you, nii-san. But I need you to know that I have no intention of helping you with revenge. I would hate to make an enemy out of you and Itachi-nii-sama, but I _will_ be there to stop you when it comes to it," Reika turns to look at Sasuke straight in the eye, "When the time comes, we'll both know; we _are_ twins after all," Reika says as she uncrosses her arms. She takes a good look at her brother for what could possibly be the last time in a while, and her expression softens, "I love you… Sasuke-nii-san."

Sasuke looks down before he looks up straight into Reika's eyes, and says, "…I love you too, Reika-hime."

Reika closes her eyes as Sasuke's lips land on her forehead. She may be imagining it, but she swears she can feel her heart breaking. Her eyes water, but she tries her best not to let the tears fall; at least not until her twin leaves.

Only when she hears the front door close does she let the tears run their course.

"…Sasuke-nii-chan…"

xXx

Reika opens her eyes in the morning after a dreamless sleep. It's the second night in a row that she hasn't dreamt of anything. That hasn't happened since the Chuunin Exams. She never has a good feeling about anything when she doesn't dream. She sits up and looks around. She sighs when she finds herself on the floor before the dining table. She stands up and walks towards the bathroom.

Reika frowns at her reflection. Her eyes are bloodshot; the bags underneath her eyes are more prominent than ever. Her unruly hair is all over the place. She hasn't changed out of her yesterday clothes. For lack of a better word, she looks awful. She takes a quick shower and, as usual, does nothing to hide the bags under her eyes. She's never really one to care about her appearance.

After she got dressed, there's a knock on her door. Reika's eyes widen when she sees Izumo standing in front of her door.

"Good morning, Reika," Izumo says, not before widening his eyes at Reika's eyes. Reika doesn't care.

"…good morning."

Izumo clears his throat, "Godaime Hokage wants to see you. Please be at the Hokage Tower immediately."

Reika nods at him and he jumps away. She has an idea about what business Godaime may have with her, and quite possibly Shikamaru. She closes the door and takes her Chuunin vest and zips it halfway up before leaving her home.

When she arrives at the Hokage Tower, as she expected, Shikamaru is there. She stands beside him before the Hokage, and Godaime Hokage opens her mouth.

"You may have realized this already, Reika, but late last night, Uchiha Sasuke left the village," Shikamaru's eyes widen, and he peeks at Reika, who doesn't seem to be shocked, "And there's no mistake that he is heading for Otogakure."

"Left? Why?" Shikamaru asks.

"…Orochimaru lured him in with power," Reika says.

Shikamaru makes a noise of shock, "W-Wait a second. What does a dangerous guy like him want with Sasuke?"

"That's not important," Tsunade says, "We don't have any time to lose. For now, I'm assigning the two of you your first mission as Chuunins."

"Is it to bring Sasuke back?" Shikamaru guesses.

"…Yeah. I want you to lead and co-lead a squad to bring him back. However, this mission must be completed quickly, and there could be some trouble."

"Huh?"

"There is a high possibility that Orochimaru's subordinates are guiding Sasuke," Tsunade says.

"…that makes sense. Orochimaru wouldn't be hiding in plain sight; Sasuke-nii-san wouldn't know where to go," Reika says.

"So for this mission, I'd need a squad of four comprised of Jounins or Chuunins," Shikamaru says.

Tsunade looks down in regret, "I cannot give you that."

Reika frowns at her words, "Why?!" Shikamaru asks.

"You should know. Besides the Jounins that must stay, most are away from the village on missions," Tsunade says, "In the next thirty minutes, gather as many exceptional Genins as you can, then set off on your mission."

"…with all due respect, Hokage-sama, I have to decline that mission. I think Shikamaru is more than enough to lead a squad all on his own. He wouldn't need me to co-lead," Reika says as she looks straight into Tsunade's eyes. The Godaime Hokage glares at her while Shikamaru looks at her questioningly.

"Out of all the shinobis in this village, I thought you would be the first to jump at the opportunity to get Sasuke back, Reika."

"On the contrary, Hokage-sama, I have no intention to see my brother. At least not now."

"Don't be selfish, Reika!" Godaime Hokage says as she slams her hands on the table, slightly cracking it.

But Reika doesn't budge, "I'm willing to accept any punishment for this, Hokage-sama, but I stand by my decision. I'm not doing this to protect myself from Orochimaru just because I know he wants me too…" Shikamaru's eyes widen at the information. Reika's eyes darken, "…but it's because I would be more of a liability than an asset. I'm not in the right state of mind to do this."

Tsunade clicks her tongue in irritation. She didn't think of the possibility of Orochimaru wanting Reika as well. She forgot that Reika also has what Orochimaru is after; the Sharingan, "…fine. Help Shikamaru pick Genins, then consider yourself forgiven."

Reika bows at Tsunade, "…thank you, Hokage-sama. Please forgive my selfishness."

Shikamaru turns around and walks towards the door, before he stops, "It's troublesome, but I can't just let this go since he's someone I know. Not to mention he's my best friend's twin brother," he turns and smirks at Tsunade, "Well, I'll do what I can. Come on, Reika."

"Wait," Tsunade says, stopping Reika and Shikamaru in their tracks, "There's one person I would like to recommend."

xXx

Reika leans her body against the wall beside the door to Naruto's apartment as Shikamaru proceeds to explain their mission.

"WHAT?! YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT?!"

Reika frowns as she closes her eyes at the volume of Naruto's voice. _So noisy…_ Reika thinks.

"You're so loud in the morning," Shikamaru complains.

Naruto grits his teeth and says, "Wait a minute!" before entering his apartment again, presumably to change.

After Naruto has changed, Reika, Shikamaru, and Naruto walks towards the Akimichi compound. Naruto seems doubtful.

"You said exceptional, didn't you?" Naruto asks as Shikamaru knocks on the front door of Chouji's house.

Shikamaru ignores him and he sighs, "It can't be helped…" he sits in front of the door and takes out a bag of potato chips from his pouch. He opens it, to Naruto's confusion, "You guys help out too," Reika doesn't say anything when she takes a chip to her mouth. They eat the potato chip until there's only one left. Shikamaru and Reika looks towards the door when Shikamaru puts the last piece of chip in his palm, "He's coming."

The door slides open to reveal Chouji, who takes the last chip from Shikamaru, "I won't let another soul have the last potato chip!"

Naruto seems even more doubtful, but Shikamaru ignores it, "I've teamed up with Chouji for quite a while. We work well together."

"I understand that, but shouldn't you ask someone like Shino for a mission like this?!" Naruto asks loudly.

Reika closes her eyes with a frown. _So loud…_ Reika turns to look at Chouji, who is putting the last piece of chip into his mouth before a figure runs towards him, its eyes on the chip. Before it could take the chip, though, Chouji immediately bites into the chip. The figure – Akamaru – flops to the ground in disappointment. Reika rolls her eyes at the dramatic gesture.

"Shino isn't here because he's on a special mission with his dad," Kiba says from behind Akamaru.

"Hey, don't tell me…" Naruto says.

"Okay, it's decided."

"What?!"

Akamaru runs towards Reika and barks at her playfully. Reika tries to give it a smile, but she can't find it in her to do so. They wait for Chouji to get changed and follow Shikamaru. Along the way, Shikamaru explains the mission.

"Hey, Shikamaru. What about the next one?" Naruto asks.

"I wanted to take my time looking for one, but we have no time. If I can't find anybody by the time we reach the village gate, then this will be it," Shikamaru says. They stop at the bottom of a stairway near the village gates, and sees Lee and Neji on top of it. Neji helps Lee walk down the stairs, and when they arrive in front of them, Shikamaru explains the mission.

"I see," Neji says.

"It's a pain, but there's nothing bad about having more people."

Reika can see Lee berating himself, "…don't blame yourself. Just stay and get better."

"She's right, Lee. You do what you need to do," Neji says. Lee closes his eyes and pulls away from Neji. He walks towards the stairs.

"Starting tomorrow, I will climb up these stairs on my own," Lee promises. He turns towards them and smiles at Reika, "You still owe me a race, Reika-san."

"…yeah, sure. As soon as you're better," Reika promises.

"Don't worry. Please go," Lee says. They all nod at him.

"Time's up," Shikamaru says as they arrive at the village gate. He turns to look at Reika, "…you sure you're not coming?"

Naruto, Chouji, Kiba, Lee, and Neji turn to look at her in shock. Reika ignores them, "Yeah. Be careful."

"Hey, hey, are you serious?!" Kiba asks Reika incredulously, "You're not coming?!"

"Stop it, Kiba. She has her own reasons. Don't push her," Shikamaru says, and Kiba reluctantly lets it go, "At least we have five people."

"Okay! Everyone follow me!" Naruto says.

"Hey… listen, Naruto. I'm the squad leader, you know, even though it's troublesome," Shikamaru says.

Naruto eyes him doubtfully, "Will it really be alright to let you lead us? You don't seem very reliable."

"So why are you acting like you're the boss, Naruto? Still, I can't say I'm satisfied being ordered around by Shikamaru, who doesn't seem to be too excited about doing this," Kiba says. Akamaru barks in agreement.

"But Shikamaru is a Chuunin now," Chouji says, "We must follow his orders. It means that the village head has acknowledged that he is a capable leader," Akamaru whines at his words.

"Even though he says that pretty much everything is troublesome… he will _never_ let you down. You can take my word on that," Reika says firmly as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. She doesn't notice Shikamaru blushing and looking away from her, but Kiba does. He frowns to himself, confused about what happened between them.

"Well, let's get down to it. Tell us your strategies and plans," Neji says, "According to what you said, it's highly probable that our enemies could ambush us."

Reika silently listens as Shikamaru explains his plans to his squad. She closes her eyes and concentrates, trying to find where Sasuke is, but to no avail. She can feel his chakra – which means he hasn't gone too far – but she can't tell where he is. It's like the bond they have has weakened one way or the other. She opens her eyes and sighs sadly. She wants to see Sasuke, but at the same time, she doesn't. At the moment, she's too heartbroken to see him.

"Reika-san?" Reika looks up at Lee, who looks at her in worry, "Are you okay?"

Reika heaves a big sigh. It's a dumb question, but she doesn't have it in her to be sarcastic, "…I don't know," Reika says honestly.

"If there's no question, let me say one last thing… Sasuke isn't a close friend of mine. I don't even like him. I only tolerate him because he's my best friend's twin brother," Shikamaru says bluntly. His squad members eye him weirdly, "But he's the same as us, a Konohagakure shinobi. He's our comrade. That is why we will put our lives on the line to bring him back. This is the way of Konoha. It's damn troublesome, even for me, so it's hard to want to do it… but I'm responsible for all of you."

Kiba scoffs, " _Now_ you sound like a Chuunin," Chouji smiles at Shikamaru.

"Well then, as soon as we finish checking our equipment, we leave," Neji says, "Everyone, take out your equipment."

Everyone does as they're told, and after they're ready, Shikamaru says, "Okay, let's go."

"Wait!"

They all turn around to see Sakura.

"Sakura-chan!"

"I heard about it from Hokage-sama," Shikamaru says, "Sorry, but I can't take you on this mission. Not even you were able to convince Sasuke, right? So there's no choice but for us to use force to persuade him to come back with us," Shikamaru narrows his eyes at Sakura, "Sakura. Your job is done."

Sakura looks down in disappointment.

"Does that mean… Sakura-chan, did you talk to Sasuke?" Naruto asks.

Sakura closes her eyes as tears run down her face, "…Naruto… this is… the only favor I will ever ask of you…" Sakura sobs, "Please… please bring Sasuke-kun back… I couldn't convince him. I couldn't stop him. I'm sure the only person who can stop him… the only person who can save him is… Naruto… only you!"

Reika looks down at her feet. She can feel Shikamaru's eyes on her. She understands all too well how Sakura feels.

"Sakura-chan, you really love him, huh?" Naruto asks with a fake smile on his face, "I can understand very well the pain that you are going through."

"Naruto… thank you…!" Sakura sobs.

Naruto grins, sincerely this time, and gives her a thumbs up, "I will bring Sasuke back for sure! This is a promise of a lifetime!"

"You sure you're okay saying that?" Kiba mocks him.

Naruto smirks, "Heh! I don't go back on my words. That's my Nindo!" Naruto then turns towards Reika, "I'll get him back, Rei-chan, don't worry!" Naruto tells her with a grin. Reika looks up and she doesn't how to feel when she sees Naruto's expression. He must've mistaken her actions as one of despair. She sighs.

"…to be quite honest with you, I don't really care if you come back with him or not," Reika says bluntly. Everyone looks at her like she's gone crazy, especially Sakura, "All I can say is that you guys have to be careful. I don't think I could ever forgive my brother if you guys died while trying to bring him back."

"B-But, Rei-chan, why wouldn't you want Sasuke back? He's your twin brother!" Naruto asks with a bewildered look on his face.

"Exactly. But he left me, possibly the closest living relative he doesn't want to kill, behind. I've said it before, Naruto. Nothing is more important than power and revenge for him; not even me," Reika says with a defeated look on her face. Her friends' eyes widen as the usually emotionally detached Reika expresses heartbreak so clearly from her face.

"…is that why you're not coming with us? Because you've given up on him already?" Shikamaru asks, not unkindly.

Reika uncrosses her arms and turns to look straight into Shikamaru's eyes, "I'm just… not strong enough. Besides, I know him. Once he's made up his mind about something, there's no stopping him. I'm sorry if it sounds like I don't have faith in you, but he didn't change his mind after I, his twin sister, tried to talk some sense into him; what makes you think any of you can?"

Reika looks at the faces of her friends one by one, and tries to meet their eyes. Neji, Chouji, Kiba, Akamaru, Naruto, and Shikamaru. She sighs in worry as she frowns, "You guys… are strong. Stronger than me. Every single one of you. That's why I won't stop you from going. If you can't bring him back, I won't put it against any of you. Just please… promise me that you'll come back safely. All of you."

Neji looks at the female Uchiha, never really expecting those words from her. They were not close, so she has no obligation of worrying over him, yet she begs him to come back safely, "…I understand," he says ultimately.

"Okay, Reika. Don't worry too much, okay?" Chouji says with a smile.

"I won't go down so easily, Little Miss Sunshine!" Kiba grins at her. Akamaru barks in agreement.

"Have a little more faith in us, Rei-chan! We'll come back for sure!" Naruto says.

Reika gives them a small, sincere smile. She turns to look at Shikamaru in the eyes, "As for you… as squad leader, protect your squad. But most importantly, don't forget to protect yourself. I'll… wait for you, okay?" Reika says before she looks away with an uncharacteristically red face.

Shikamaru scratches his similarly reddened cheek while looking away from Reika, "Geez, you're troublesome, woman. Fine, I get it," Shikamaru turns to look at his friends-slash-subordinates, "Let's go."

After Shikamaru's squad departs, Reika says goodbye to Sakura and Lee and finds herself walking towards Hokage's office. On her way there, her eyes suddenly widen, and she leans against a wall. She gasps harshly as she holds onto her chest, walking towards an alleyway. It feels like a big piece of her has just died. Tears fall down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"Nii-san… no… why… this isn't happening…" Reika begs in her heart. Before, Reika can still feel that Sasuke's chakra is around, but couldn't pinpoint where he is. But now, she can no longer feel his chakra at all. She wipes the tears from her eyes and controls her breathing. She closes her eyes and runs a hand through her hair, trying to think more clearly.

 _If Orochimaru needs him... then his so-called 'guides' wouldn't kill him, especially if they're loyal to Orochimaru. He may be in a temporary state of death. He's not dead. Sasuke-nii-san isn't dead_ , Reika keeps convincing herself. She continues her way towards Hokage's office and knocks on the door when she arrives. She enters the room and closes the door behind her after she is invited in. The only one in the office is Tsunade.

"Reika? What's wrong?"

"…Tsunade-sama… I have a bad feeling about this. Shikamaru's squad went into the mission blind, with no information about who they're up against… and I'm afraid that if they engage in combat… we might lose someone," Reika suddenly bows, "Please make me your apprentice! I have basic knowledge in first aid and medical ninjutsu, and I would like to know more and be better! I _have_ to be better."

"…why do you want to learn medical ninjutsu, Reika?"

"The reason why I refused to go on this mission was because I feel like I'm not strong enough to help them. I feel like I would hold them back. I'd like to help my friends out as well as I can. If I can't help them in combat, I'd be satisfied if I can tend to their wounds after they come back. It's the reason why I learned medical ninjutsu in the first place; so I would be helpful to my friends."

The room is washed with silence after Reika's explanation.

"Fine."

"Eh?" Reika asks as she lifts her head up to meet Tsunade's eyes.

"Uchiha Reika! I really like your desire to help your friends. Sandaime Hokage was not wrong in his decision to promote you into a Chuunin. You'd make a great leader," Tsunade smiles and looks determinedly into Reika's eyes, "I will teach you. But I won't go easy on you!"

Reika smiles and returns her determination. She nods, "Please do!"


	28. Chapter 28

Right after she requested it, Reika is given her first assignment as Tsunade's apprentice: revive a fish with her current level of medical ninjutsu. Reika has done this before when she was learning under the medic-nins in the hospital, so she passed that quite easily.

Tsunade had told her to not worry too much about Shikamaru's squad, as she had already asked Sunagakure for reinforcements should things go bad. She still has doubts about Sunagakure after what happened back in the Chuunin Exams, but she doesn't question her Hokage.

After her apprenticeship has ended for the day, instead of going home, Reika finds herself walking towards the remains of the Uchiha compound. She walks until she finds the location of her clan's secret storage room, the very same place she found the old scrolls about the Bijuu. She rummages through the old scrolls until she finds more information about her clan's doujutsu.

She has overheard Sasuke asking their father about types of Sharingan back when they were kids, but their father had said that it was too early for them to know. But ultimately, thanks to Sasuke's insistence, their father relents and tells them that there _is_ a different type of Sharingan. Reika recalls their father saying that there is a doujutsu above Sharingan called Mangekyou Sharingan. According to their father, it's a legendary doujutsu which has appeared in only a select few people.

Apparently obtaining Mangekyou Sharingan is possible due to the trauma of losing a loved one. Reika's eyes widen when she sees Shisui's name in the list of people with Mangekyou Sharingan. _Mangekyou Sharingan grants powerful abilities that differ from user to user, and they may not even be the same for both of a single user's eyes_ , Reika reads. She reads up on Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan ability – Kotoamatsukami – and she frowns.

 _Was the genjutsu I did Kotoamatsukami? It seems similar…_ Reika wonders. _But I haven't developed Mangekyou Sharingan… right?_

She continues to read. _Awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan will automatically fully mature a Sharingan if it isn't already. Mangekyou Sharingan abilities drain a considerable amount of chakra, and puts great strain on the user, wearing the user's body and causing deterioration to their vision. Over-usage will cause blindness,_ Reika's eyes widen at the passage, and she slowly touches her right eye.

 _A Mangekyou Sharingan is distinguished from a normal Sharingan by its appearance. The exact design differs from each user; though all resemble pinwheels… does this mean…?_. Inoichi told her that the shinobi she unintentionally put into a genjutsu saw 'two black pinwheels in a red sky' before he fainted.

Reika rolls up the scrolls and puts them back into their place. She walks out of the storage room, locks it, and runs home. She rushes into the bathroom and squeezes her eyes shut before opening them again, revealing her three-tomoe Sharingan. She continues feeding chakra into her eyes, and she grunts when her eyes start to hurt. Blood starts to run down her cheeks from her eyes.

Her eyes widen when two red sclera with the design of a black four-pointed pinwheel with a red center surrounding a black pupil stare back at her from the mirror. She also remembers seeing a different design of Sharingan in her brother's eyes. _That means… Itachi-nii-sama has also developed his Mangekyou Sharingan._ She thinks back to the genjutsu she did on Yorukage before finishing him off. _Was that also a power from Mangekyou Sharingan?_

Reika deactivates her Sharingan and sighs as she cleans her face from the blood. _If I developed them when I was fighting Yorukage… whose death evoked their awakening?_ Reika wonders. But then her eyes widen and she blushes. _Shikamaru? But… he's not my 'loved one'… is he?_

"Argh, I don't know!" Reika exclaims as she ruffles her already unruly hair.

She needs to sleep the confusion off. She has a long day ahead of her.

xXx

The day after her apprenticeship starts, Reika is in the hospital library, trying to revive an octopus while Tsunade goes and checks on Genma and Raidou, who intercepted four Oto shinobis, supposedly the same ones who are supposed to guide Sasuke to Orochimaru. Her eyebrows furrow in concentration as she continues to heal eight different parts of the octopus. _Okay, that's five. Just three more…_

But her concentration is broken by the feeling of a sudden spike in Sasuke's chakra. She gasps and pulls her hand away from the octopus so she won't damage it. Her eyes are wide and she's panting hard.

 _That chakra… is no doubt nii-san's chakra. That means... he's still alive,_ Reika sighs in relief. _But it's contaminated by that dark chakra…_ she frowns in confusion when his chakra returns to its original state. _It stopped? I have a bad feeling about this…_

"Tsunade-sama!" Reika jumps and turns to look at the door.

"Guy-sensei?"

"Reika! Where's Tsunade-sama?!" Guy asks, tears running down his face.

Reika raises an eyebrow, "I think she's in the ward, with Genma-san and Raidou-san…"

"Take me to her!" Guy says as he drags Reika out of the library.

"What? W-Wait!" But Guy doesn't and he keeps dragging Reika until she gives up and leads him to the ward where Genma and Raidou are brought into after being attacked by four Oto shinobis.

"Thank you!" Guy says. Suddenly he loses his footing and hits the frame of the door and falls to the floor. Reika grimaces as she watches it.

"What's wrong, Guy? You're all worn out," Tsunade asks, "What is this, Reika? Why aren't you training?"

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama, but I don't know myself… I was training when Guy-sensei dragged me out, demanding to take me to you…" Reika says.

Tsunade sighs, "Did something happen during a mission?" Tsunade asks Guy.

"No… I finished up the mission and ran straight here," Guy says as he pulls himself up, "More importantly… Lee! How did Lee's surgery go?!"

Reika slaps a hand to her forehead with a sigh. _All those ruckus just because of that…_

Tsunade walks forward until she's right in front of Guy. She goes on her knees and puts a hand on Guy's shoulder. She smiles proudly, "Success. He'll be able to resume his technique training tomorrow."

Predictably, Guy starts to cry out of joy.

"Well, he should rest for a while, though," Tsunade continues.

"E-Emergency, Godaime-sama… Rock Lee has… disappeared…" a medic-nin says as he arrives in the ward.

Reika turns to look at the medic-nin with furrowed brows, "Disappeared?" _He must've gone after them… what an idiot,_ Reika thinks with a sigh.

"NOOOOO!" Guy screams. Reika winces at the volume.

"A-Anyway, please come!" the medic-nin says.

"Reika, continue with your training. I'll be there in a second," Tsunade says.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Reika nods and makes her way back to the library. She continues her training, begging to whatever deity she believes in that there will be no more distractions.

xXx

Reika smiles in satisfaction when the octopus that was just dead a couple of minutes ago is now wriggling on top of the seal scroll it sits on. It tries to shoot Reika with its ink, but Reika is fast enough to dodge it.

Reika watches the octopus with unfocused eyes. She struggled with keeping her concentration earlier. Ever since she can feel Sasuke's chakra again, she keeps feeling the spikes in his chakra, indicating that he's engaged in combat. The problem isn't just the fact that he's fighting, but _who_ he's fighting against. She figures he would never back down without a fight, even with the people he once called comrades.

Tsunade came to the library not long before she managed to revive the octopus. She told her that Kakashi has returned from his mission and has heard about what happened to Sasuke, and is now in pursuit of Naruto and Sasuke. Reika can at least heave a sigh of temporary relief. If there's anyone she trusts more than Sasuke and Shikamaru in this world, it would be Kakashi. Reika holds no expectation that Kakashi will bring Sasuke back, but at least Naruto's safety is assured with Kakashi around.

Reika gasps loudly when she feels a huge spike in Sasuke's chakra, laced with the dark chakra from the curse seal, stronger than usual. She holds herself as she shakes, running a shaky hand through her hair. She can feel Tsunade's eyes on her. She's asking her what was wrong, but she can't respond. Her whole focus has been taken by Sasuke's chakra.

"Are you okay?" Reika can hear Tsunade asking her when she refocuses on reality.

Reika pants as she controls her breathing. She nods, but says nothing else.

"You did a good job, Reika," Tsunade says with a proud grin, "Next, I want you to…"

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune yells in panic as she barges into the hospital library.

"What is it?"

"The medic-nins have returned with Shikamaru's squad, but… they are in various states of danger, particularly Akimichi Chouji and Hyuuga Neji!"

A feeling of dread washes over Reika. Her eyes are wide and her body goes stiff. _Chouji…_ Reika thinks in worry.

Reika and Chouji may not be as close as her and Shikamaru, but Chouji is her second friend after Shikamaru. She doesn't mind his company, and he doesn't mind sharing his food with her. She respects him as a shinobi and is actually quite fearful of his strength. She likes him because he is the kindest person she has ever encountered, second only to Itachi.

Tsunade eyes Reika. She's still a little bit rough around the edges, but Tsunade can tell that she has the determination and will to learn. Not to mention she's succeeded in reviving that octopus with her initial medical ninjutsu skill. _She can help me out with this. She seems a bit unfocused, but this will force her to focus,_ Tsunade thinks, "Reika, I'm going to need all the help I can get. Come!"

Reika's eyes widen at the request, but she nods nonetheless, "Yes!"

xXx

Reika follows Tsunade towards room ICU 6 so that she can observe and help Tsunade with Chouji. Her eyes widen when she sees the figure being wheeled into ICU 6. _So thin… Chouji, what happened to you…?_ Reika wonders. Shizune walks towards a different ICU room where she sees Neji being wheeled in. Reika has heard that Kiba and Akamaru are already being treated, but she hasn't heard anything about Shikamaru or Naruto yet.

On the way into ICU 6, Reika is stopped by the sound of her name being called.

"Reika!" she turns around and sees Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru!" Reika calls out in relief. She turns to look at Tsunade and her master nods, signaling that she can take a look at his injuries and catch up to her. Reika approaches Shikamaru and takes a look at his injuries. She sighs in relief when she realizes that he only has some cuts and bruises, with a broken finger as the worst injury, "You're not all that injured. The worst one is your broken finger. How come?"

"Because I saved his ass," Reika turns and her eyes widen when she spots Temari.

"Tch. What a drag…"

"Temari…" Reika calls out her name in a daze. Not only had she helped her when Gaara first attacked her, this time she helped Shikamaru in combat. Reika smiles at Temari in gratitude, "Thank you," Reika turns to look at Shikamaru, "You need to get treated."

"Can't you do it?" Shikamaru frowns.

"I need to help Tsunade-sama treat Chouji now. We can't waste any more time. Will you tell me if you hear anything about Naruto, please?"

"…fine," Reika squeezes Shikamaru's arm in reassurance, and she power walks towards the ICU, "Reika," she turns back around, "…please save him."

Reika gives him a confident smirk, "Don't worry. Tsunade-sama is the best medic-nin in the world. She'll save him."

xXx

"…the vitals are stable," a medic says as she looks at the monitor. Reika sighs in relief. _Thank God, Chouji…_

"You've worked hard," Reika says with a bow to each and every medic in the ICU, including Tsunade. They've been at it for hours, and it actually frustrates Reika a bit that she couldn't do anything but help Tsunade with the ingredients for the antidote and watch everyone do their jobs. She may have learned a lot, but she wished she could've been of more help.

"Go out and deliver the good news, Reika," Tsunade says.

"Eh?"

"Shikamaru's your best friend, isn't he? I think it would be fitting if you're the one who tells him. Don't forget to thank Shikaku for the tome," Tsunade says as she leans back on her chair. Reika nods in gratitude. She turns the lights of the ICU sign off and walks out of the room.

Reika sees Temari sitting on one of the benches, looking at her in expectation, Shikaku leaning against a wall a little bit farther, and Shikamaru standing the farthest from her. Reika takes a deep breath and gives a small smile, "He's fine now."

Even from afar, she can clearly see Shikamaru flinching.

"The antidote has stopped the death of cells caused by the side effects of the pills," Reika says. She walks towards Shikaku and bows, "Tsunade-sama sends her gratitude, Shikaku-san. The information within the medical tome was very useful."

Reika looks back up and sees Shikaku smile at her. She sees Shikaku looking behind her, and she turns around to see Tsunade exiting the ICU.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune shouts as she runs from the direction of ICU 7, "Hyuuga Neji… his safety line has been secured. And there's some information. Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto have just now returned. Although seriously injured, it seems it's not life-threatening."

Reika can practically feel the relief exuding from Shikamaru. She turns to look at her best friend. Reika can tell that the pressure of failing the first mission he has to lead is getting to him. Knowing him, he must be killing himself and telling himself how incapable he is; especially with two members of his squad in the ICU, at the verge of death. She knows that no matter how ignorant he may seem, he actually worries about a lot of things very easily.

"Shikamaru… It seems the mission is a failure," Tsunade starts, "But everyone is alive! That's the most important thing."

Reika walks resolutely towards Shikamaru, facing his back, "Thank you," Reika suddenly bows at her best friend's back, gaining the attention of everyone in her vicinity, "For keeping your promise. You came back safe, and the others are alive," she looks back up, "Don't be so hard on yourself," she says. She decides to leave Shikamaru to let him cool down a little bit. But then she feels her hand being pulled and all of a sudden, she sees green.

Reika's eyes widen and her body goes stiff in shock. She feels Shikamaru's arms around her. This is the first time Shikamaru has ever showed some kind of affection towards her, and she doesn't know how to react. But then his body starts to shake, and Reika can hear him sob.

"Next time for sure… I will carry out the mission perfectly!"

Reika's eyes soften and she relaxes. She wraps her arms around her best friend, rubbing his back, "…you did well. You brought everyone back. That's what matters."

xXx

"…I told you not to kill yourself over him," Reika says in exasperation when she notices that Naruto has regained consciousness. When she heard that Naruto has arrived, she observes the process of his treatment and waits on his bedside until he comes to. Naruto is silent for a while, something Reika is not used to witnessing. He has a blue clothed hitai-ate in his hands, the metal scratched across the Konoha symbol. She recognizes the hitai-ate; it was her brother's.

"I'm sorry… Rei-chan…"

Reika sighs and shakes her head, "…I know you made a promise to Sakura, but at least you kept your promise to me; you came back safe. That's all that matters. There's nothing to apologize for."

"…here," Naruto says as he offers her the hitai-ate.

Reika's eyes widen, but then they soften, "…you keep it. Give it to him when you bring him back," Naruto smiles at her, and Reika gives him a small smile back, "Don't push yourself too hard, Naruto."

"Oh… you're awake, huh?" Reika and Naruto turn to the door and sees Shikamaru leaning against it. Reika blushes at the thought of the hug they shared earlier, and the thought that she has the perfect height to bury her face in his neck. Reika shakes her head to shake off those thoughts. _This is not the time or place to think about that! …why am I thinking about that in the first place?!_

"Shikamaru!" Naruto exclaims with a smile. Shikamaru walks into the room and sits on Naruto's bed at the end of it. They go silent for a while, until Shikamaru asks.

"Then, Sasuke is…?"

"Yeah… he's gone," Naruto says. Reika looks down at her hands, her left leg shaking up and down. This time, there's no one there to stop her bad habit. Usually Sasuke would be the one who puts his hand on top of her leg to stop it from shaking, but this time, no one does.

Suddenly the door slides open again and Tsunade walks in, along with Sakura. Reika can practically feel Naruto's remorse.

"Naruto…" Sakura says with wide eyes as she sees Naruto's state.

"I heard you suffered quite a serious injury… but you look well, considering," Tsunade says to Naruto, "I'm sure you learned a lot, Reika?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama…"

"I'm sorry… Sakura-chan…"

Sakura looks distraught over the apology, and plasters on a fake smile "Why do you apologize?" Sakura walks towards the window, "Being you, you probably got reckless again, right? Geez, you look like a mummy…"

"I'm sorry… I…"

"Hey, the weather's nice today. Let's open the curtains," Sakura says as she does so. It actually pains Reika to see the interaction. She thanks God that she doesn't have high expectation about Sasuke returning.

Even after being reprimanded by his own sister, Sasuke still left. Granted, Reika knew her brother better than anyone to actually try and stop him after he's made up his mind, but she had a smidge of hope that he would rethink his decision after talking to her.

"Sakura-chan! I… I'll keep my promise, no matter what!" Naruto continues, "I promised on my life. That's what I said, so I…!"

"…it's okay, already, Naruto…" Sakura says dejectedly.

"Sakura! He's…" Shikamaru says, trying to defend Naruto.

"I always… said that, so… I… I never go back on my word! Because that's my Nindo!" Naruto says with a grin. Sakura, Reika, Shikamaru and Tsunade turn to look at him. Shikamaru smiles at him. Reika sighs in exasperation, but she still has a small smile on her face. Sakura seems to be scrutinizing his bandaged body. Naruto then chuckles. Sakura finally smiles a real smile.

"Naruto…"

"I just have to get better fast so I can bring Sasuke back!" Naruto says.

"You don't have to get right to it, Naruto. If you strain yourself, you'll be here longer than you were supposed to," Reika says.

"She's right. Get some rest, Naruto," Tsunade says as she turns to leave, "Reika, meet me at the library."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."


	29. Chapter 29

Reika is currently helping Tsunade out in her office. Apparently Reika has unknowingly fallen into a trap, where she is turned into a secretary whenever she's available. Having almost depleted her chakra from training, she has nothing better to do.

A knock comes from outside the door and Tsunade tells the person behind it to come in. To her surprise, Sakura walks in with a determined look in her face.

"I have a request," the pink haired kunoichi says.

"What is it?" Tsunade asks without looking up from a document she's signing.

"…please make me your apprentice!" Sakura pleads.

Tsunade stops signing her document, and Reika looks up from a document she's filing. The two of them look straight at Sakura. Reika eyes Sakura, and wonders why she hasn't asked earlier.

"Why not, Tsunade-sama? It's better than paperwork, isn't it?" Reika asks with a smirk.

Tsunade eyes Reika, and she looks back at Sakura, "Haruno Sakura. I heard from Kakashi that you have a brilliant mind as well as will power," she smiles, "Alright," Sakura lights up, "But in exchange, I won't go easy on you!"

Sakura straightens up, "Yes, ma'am!"

"You two play nice, okay? A little rivalry isn't bad, just keep it professional," Tsunade says, looking at Reika, "Don't get cocky just because you started first and is ahead of her," she warns Reika. She turns to look at Sakura, "And you don't have to push yourself to catch up to her."

"Yes, ma'am," they both say.

Sakura looks at Reika, and she smiles, "Please take care of me."

Reika smirks at her, "Same here."

xXx

Reika is no idiot. She has seen the look in the villagers' eyes. She's seen the look in the other shinobis' eyes. Hell, she can even feel some of her friends' eyes on her. All those eyes are saying the same thing.

" _She's Uchiha Sasuke's sister. Who's to say she's not going to follow her brother?_ "

The most painful stares come from Naruto and Sakura. She has seen Naruto bending over backwards trying to get stronger so he could bring Sasuke back. She has seen Sakura crying more than once over her brother. But then they'd stare at her with questioning and judging looks, asking her, " _Why aren't you as distraught as we are? You're his_ _ **sister**_." The look with the same question also shows in most of her friends' eyes.

She can't lie and say that those looks don't bother her. One of the reasons why she's bothered is because she is actually more distraught than she let on. She'd wake up and prepare her breakfast, and she'd unconsciously make enough for two. She'd pack the extra for lunch, but then she'd think, "Has Sasuke-nii-san eaten? What is he having this morning?" She'd make herself sick with worry, and eventually her thoughts would go to, "What would happen if I had stopped him? Or if I had gone with him?"

Ever since the mission to retrieve Sasuke, Reika has been ridden with guilt. Because of what her twin brother did, Chouji, Neji, and Naruto almost lost their lives, Kiba and Shikamaru were injured, and even Shikamaru had almost lost his will to continue as a shinobi. He also left not just Reika, but also Sakura heartbroken. She can't bear facing her friends, so she opts to avoid them altogether. The most interaction she has with her friends is with Sakura, with whom she's learning medical ninjutsu under Tsunade. Even if she wants to, she can't really avoid her.

Both these thoughts and the looks from people around her, instead of making her want to stay, actually make her even less at home in Konoha. Which is why she finds herself in Hokage's office, Tsunade and Shizune looking at her with wide eyes.

"You want to leave the village?!"

"Not permanently, just… until I can collect my thoughts."

"And how long do you think that will take?"

"…I'm not sure. Two, three years tops? I just need to make sure that I won't be marked as a nuke-nin when I leave."

"Are you kidding me?! And where do you think you're going, then? Don't tell me you're going after your brother!"

Reika's glare actually rivals Tsunade's, "Of course not. I'm doing this exactly _because_ of that kind of accusation!" Reika takes a deep breath as she runs a hand through her hair, trying to collect her composure, "If I weren't around, you'd be able to focus more on Sakura's training, right? So I was thinking of learning about poisons under Chiyo-sama of Sunagakure."

"Oh, that's a good idea…" Shizune says.

"Shizune! Don't encourage her!" Shizune cowers under Tsunade's glare. Tsunade sighs, "I'll think about it. I'll let you know when I made my decision."

Reika sighs. _I guess that's better than a flat out 'no'…_ Reika bows, "Please excuse me, then."

She leaves the office with a heavy heart.

xXx

Reika walks towards the top of the Hokage Mountain, looking over the whole village. The village she was born in. The village she lives in. The village whose symbol adorns her hitai-ate. The village she's sworn to protect. The village that doesn't make her feel at home anymore.

Reika sits down on the grassy field with a sigh. She thought that she was strong, but apparently she's not strong enough. The stares from the villagers, she can handle. But not the ones from her friends. The change in their behavior is so obvious, Reika wants to hide. And that's exactly what she does. She avoids meeting her friends.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Reika's head snaps to look at her left, and she finds Kakashi standing beside her sitting form, looking at the village. Reika turns back to look at the span of the village and nods, "…yeah."

"Your friends are worried about you, you know," Kakashi says. Reika sighs. _Of course that's why he's here_ … Reika thinks. Sometimes she wished that Kakashi cares less about his students.

Reika scoffs, "…what a way to tell that they're worried…"

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asks as he sits beside Reika.

Reika looks down. Somehow, she feels safe telling how she really feels to Kakashi. She knows he won't tell anyone.

"…I've seen them, you know."

"What?"

"The looks on the villagers faces. They think of me as a traitor already; like they expected me to leave the village, because Sasuke-nii-san defected," Reika sighs, "I don't mind those looks. I can just ignore them… but not the ones from my friends," Reika pulls her legs up and hugs them, "They never say it, but they're all asking me, 'why aren't you crying?', 'why aren't you distraught?'" Reika says as she closes her eyes, "…they're wrong."

"Why?"

"Because I _did_ cry. Just never in front of them. I _am_ distraught, but I don't have to show it, do I?" Reika asks as she draws a shaky breath, "Of course I'm distraught. How can I not? My twin just left me without a second thought. Before he left, he actually tried to _kill_ me because he was jealous of me."

Kakashi's eyes widen at that information.

"I thought… that he would be proud of me. I managed to get promoted into Chuunin. I've… matured my Sharingan… but instead of praising me, he choked me against a tree," Reika sighs as a tear rolls down her cheek, "It hurts… that's why I refused the mission. I didn't know what I would do if I had seen him. I could've killed him for all I know," Reika sighs tearfully, "But now… I miss him. Yes, he's a jerk, but he's my twin brother. I hate staying mad at him, and I hate that I forgive him so easily, no matter what he does."

Kakashi keeps listening to her.

"The villagers, and even some of my friends, are looking at me like I'm going to go up and leave the village behind to join Sasuke-nii-san… and to be honest with you; I've been tempted to prove them right, once or twice."

"Why haven't you, then?" Kakashi asks.

Reika stops and ponders the answer to that question. Why _hasn't_ she left already? She's been enduring the looks from those people for weeks. If she can't handle it, like she claims to be, then why is she still in Konoha?

"You know… when I said that 'your friends' are worried about you, I was actually talking about Shikamaru," Reika's eyes widen at the information, "He never tells me straight out that he's worried about you, but whenever he sees me or your teammates, the first thing he'd ask is where you are. Why don't you talk to him?"

Reika puts her forehead against her knees.

xXx

After a short heart-to-heart with her sensei, Reika finds herself walking towards the Nara compound. It's nearing dinner time, and Reika knows that Shikamaru is always home around this time; because he fears his mother's wrath should he miss dinner. When she arrives near the Nara compound, Shikamaru is approaching from the opposite way. They notice each other, but don't say anything until they're right in front of each other.

"…hey."

"…hi."

"Haven't seen you around much."

"…I just needed to be alone."

"Tch. You're a pain, woman. You do that all the time, you know."

Reika raises an eyebrow, "Do what?"

"Isolate yourself whenever you have a problem. Haven't you heard that talking about your problems actually helps your sanity or something like that?"

Reika scoffs, "Have you been reading self-help books or something?"

"Tch, what a pain… seriously, though. You can't do this all the time."

"…no one would understand."

Shikamaru looks at Reika straight in her eyes. He has always thought so, but Reika has beautiful eyes, even with the evidence of fatigue under them. But he somehow always sees a kind of darkness in them. Not from their natural onyx color, but from something else that seems to always haunt her. He never dared asking because he figured she'll tell him whenever she wants to. Making her mad would be troublesome for him.

"…I do," Reika scoffs, "No. You don't get it. I do understand. I've seen the looks people sent you. Even Ino and Chouji seem worried that mentioning Sasuke in front of you would push you to chase after him."

Reika's eyes widen, "…how did…?"

"Geez, I'm not blind, woman. I know those looks are bothering you, especially because they come from your friends. That's why you've been avoiding everyone. Sometimes you can be kinda predictable, you know?" Shikamaru sighs, "Look, I don't know what's running through your head. But I know that you can make your own decisions. And I trust your decisions, because so far, you've never made a wrong one."

Reika inhales sharply at Shikamaru's words. Those words sounds eerily similar to the words Shisui always said to her.

" _It's up to you, Reika-hime. I know you will always make the right decision._ "

Reika's eyes never left Shikamaru. She feels like she has just had an epiphany.

Reika has always had trust issues, because somehow, the people she trusts always leaves her. She trusted Shisui. She trusted Itachi. She trusted Sasuke. The reason why she trusted Team 7 the first time was because even if everyone betrays her, she'll at least have Sasuke. It's ironic that the first person to betray her was the very person she trusts the most.

But ever since meeting Shikamaru, who _always_ keeps his promises to her, she slowly learns to trust other people again.

Because Reika has always assumed the worse in people, she tends to avoid them. She hates being judged about things that people don't know or understand about her, but she makes no effort to make them understand her. She's content that way.

But Shikamaru _never_ judges her, and he _always_ makes the effort to understand her.

"Reika? You okay?"

Reika jumps out of her daydream, and shakes her head with a small smile, "…yeah."

"Wanna join us for dinner? Even though it's less troublesome to cook for less people, I'm sure eating alone must suck."

Reika nods, "…yeah, that would be great."

 _I… may have found the reason why I haven't left already, Kakashi-sensei_ , Reika thinks.

 _Because I want to stay with Shikamaru._

xXx

Two weeks after her talk with Kakashi and Shikamaru, Reika knocks the door to Hokage's office. She has been summoned by Tsunade while she was doing medical ninjutsu training in the hospital with Kirika overseeing it. She opens the door when she hears Tsunade's familiar voice telling her to come in.

"You called, Tsunade-sama?" Reika asks as she walks into the room, closing the door behind her. She raises her eyebrows when she sees the Sand Siblings and another girl she doesn't recognize standing in front of Hokage's desk. Reika walks towards them, "…not that I'm not glad to see you guys, but… Tsunade-sama," Reika turns to look at Tsunade, "What is this about?"

"Gaara, Temari, and Kankurou have just rescued Matsuri here, with the help of some of our shinobis, that's why they're here," Tsunade explains. Reika nods in understanding. She _did_ refuse to receive missions when she's training, not to mention she feels like she's still not in the right mind to take on missions. She heard that Shikamaru requested her to come with him in a mission, but Sakura had come in her place, "Reika, do you remember what you said earlier this month?" Tsunade asks. Reika frowns.

"About… my request to leave?"

"Yes… I was thinking of granting it. You can go with them to Sunagakure and stay there for three years. No more, no less. I expect you to be better than you are right now when you return," Tsunade says with a confident smile, "I have faith in you."

Reika's eyes widen. Ultimately, Reika smiles at her Hokage and bows deeply.

"I will not disappoint you, Hokage-sama. Thank you; you won't regret this."

xXx

"You're seriously leaving."

Shikamaru walks the Sand Siblings, Matsuri, and Reika to the village gates. The Sand Siblings and Matsuri have given Reika some time to say goodbye to her best friend, which Reika is very grateful of. Reika smiles wryly at Shikamaru's words.

"…yeah."

"Three years is a long time."

"It is."

"You won't say goodbye to the others?"

Reika is silent as she looks at the Hokage Mountain for the last time in a while. She shakes her head, "No."

"You avoid them for months and leave without saying goodbye. That's a bit cruel."

Reika reaches into one of the pockets in her backpack and hands Shikamaru a stack of letters addressed to each and every one of her friends, bound by a rope, "You'll be my messenger. I'll leave it to you."

"Tch. You're troublesome," Shikamaru complains, but takes the letters nonetheless.

Reika smirks, "So you always say, yet you stay by my side."

"…you're different from any other girls. You're troublesome, but I don't mind you."

Reika's expression softens into a smile, "I don't mind you, either, Shikamaru."

They go silent after that. Truth be told, Reika doesn't want to say goodbye to Shikamaru. She knows that even though she is going to be gone from Konoha for three years doesn't mean that they won't ever see each other again. She feels the need to show him just how much he means to her before she leaves, but she's afraid that she would – again – lose the person she has grown to trust.

Even so, Reika gathers her courage and takes a leap of faith.

Reika leans forward and catches Shikamaru off guard by pecking his cheek. She's not used to seeing Shikamaru blush, but there he is, blushing up to his ears.

"…I'll see you around, Shikamaru," Reika says with a small smile as she pulls away. She turns and walks towards the Sand Siblings and gasps when her hand is yanked back. Her body is forced to turn around, and closes her widened eyes as she gives herself up to the feeling of Shikamaru's lips against hers.

"…I'll see you around, you troublesome woman," Shikamaru says with a smirk. Reika hates that smirk, because that smirk can turn her into a blushing mess like Hinata does whenever Naruto does anything. She flicks his forehead and smiles.

And then Reika falls into step with the Sunagakure shinobis.

* * *

 **A/N: That is it for Secrets! But fear not, as I will post a new story about Shikamaru x Reika tomorrow. Do be on a lookout for it.**

 **I would like to thank all of the people who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! I never really thought that there would be a lot of people who like my story enough to wait every week for an update. I never expected much, but I definitely got more love than I thought I would get. By the time I post this chapter, I have 49 reviews, 99 favorites, and 130 follows. That is incredible. I'm so happy!**

 **I'm currently writing the Naruto Shippuuden part of Reika's story, but I'm currently in my last year of college and my final exam is coming up. So I think I will continue writing it after I'm sure that I'm graduating.**

 **Once again, thank you so much!**


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